Ganta — Mob violence continues to plague Nimba County, casting a long shadow since the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) withdrew from the country over a decade ago.
A 68- year-old man was brutally stabbed multiple times with a cutlass in Kiss Town, Buu-Yao District #5, Upper Nimba County on Friday, February 6, 2026.
The victim, identified as James Whapoe, a longtime resident known in the community for his quiet demeanor and work as a subsistence farmer, was rushed to the Bahn Health Center in neighboring Zoe-Geh District.
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Medical staff there report he remains in stable condition, though he sustained deep lacerations on his arms, torso and legs. Sources at the center described the scene upon his arrival as chaotic, with Whapoe bleeding profusely and barely conscious, requiring immediate stitches and blood transfusions.
The confrontation erupted in the dusty heart of Kiss Town a remote cluster of mud-brick homes and thatched-roof structures nestled amid Nimba's rolling hills after Whapoe was accused of murdering his wife several months earlier.
Residents claimed he had denied the allegation during a traditional oath-taking ceremony under a sacred cotton tree, a ritual deeply rooted in local customs meant to invoke divine retribution on liars.
Tensions boiled over when a group confronted him near the town square, shouting accusations and demanding justice outside formal channels.
"One moment they were arguing words; the next, cutlasses flashed in the afternoon sun," recounted an onlooker who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.
The mob's fury reportedly peaked as Whapoe tried to flee, leaving him collapsed in a pool of his own blood amid scattered farm tools.
Police in Nimba County have confirmed the arrest of several people. Buu-Yao swiftly intervened, arresting six suspects in connection with the attack.
They include Melvin Zuo, Miamen Zuo, Larh Zarsen, Wyperlay Zuotaye Blemie, and Mentor Zuo all local men aged 25 to 45.
Investigators believe the group was among those leading the confrontation, though motives may tie into longstanding family feuds exacerbated by the unresolved wife-killing allegation.
"We're treating this as attempted murder and mob incitement," said a police spokesperson, noting that forensics teams are examining the seized cutlass for fingerprints and blood evidence. The suspects are detained at a holding facility in Bahn, awaiting formal charges.
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This stabbing has ignited fears across Buu-Yao District, a region already strained by poverty, limited infrastructure, and simmering disputes over land and inheritance.
Community leaders, including elders from the Kiss Town Council, held an emergency palava hut meeting on Saturday, urging restraint and warning that unchecked vigilantism could spiral into broader clan conflicts.
"We've seen this before oaths turn to mobs, and blood calls for more blood," one elder told reporters, referencing a string of similar incidents in Nimba since 2018, when UNMIL's exit left a security vacuum.
Data from local NGOs indicates at least 12 mob-related assaults in the county last year alone, often triggered by witchcraft accusations or domestic suspicions.
In response, authorities have deployed additional officers from Ganta and Sanniquellie, patrolling Kiss Town's winding dirt roads and checkpoints.
The Liberia National Police has also promised community sensitization workshops on dispute resolution, partnering with traditional rulers to bridge customary justice and the formal legal system.
Rights groups like Amnesty International Liberia have condemned the violence, calling for swift trials to deter copy cats.
