- Public anxiety is rising in Liberia after social media videos and photos surfaced showing dozens of men in formation under the name "National Fula Security of Liberia (NFSL)," prompting calls for government intervention and intensifying debate over whether the group is a lawful community safety initiative or an unauthorized security force operating outside state control.
Fula is an ethnic group predominantly from neighboring Guinea.
The images, widely shared online in recent days, appear to show participants assembled in a field-like setting, with some observers alleging the gathering resembles a training exercise. The group's leadership and legal status have not been publicly established, and it is not clear who organized the activity, where it occurred, or whether the participants are licensed under Liberia's private security framework.
As criticism mounted, the Ministry of Justice, the agency responsible for internal security oversight, including regulation of private security providers, said it is preparing an official statement.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"We're working on our official response," said Jutonu Y. Kollie, director of press and public affairs at the ministry. "Once it's cleared by the authorities, it will be immediately released."
Videos Trigger National Alarm and Online Backlash
Concern spiked after short clips circulated online showing individuals standing in lines and moving in coordinated formation. Some viewers said the clothing in the videos resembles security-style uniforms, though it remains unclear whether any garments are official or merely similar in appearance.
On social media, critics warned that an ethnic-branded security organization, even if unarmed, could undermine centralized authority, heighten distrust, and deepen social tensions in a country with a history of politicized identity disputes.
Several commenters drew comparisons to extremist movements elsewhere in West Africa, arguing that loosely organized groups can evolve over time if left unregulated. Security analysts, however, caution that such analogies can inflame public fear and stigmatize communities if not grounded in evidence.
The core of the public concern, critics say, is not community policing itself, which exists in various forms across Liberia, but the idea of a security entity organized around a single ethnic identity and operating in a quasi-official manner.
Fulani Forum Rejects "Militia" Label, Warns Against Profiling
In response, an online platform known as Fulani Forum issued a statement disputing the narrative that NFSL is a militia or an extremist front, arguing instead that it is a community-based initiative focused on safety and crime prevention.
"While we appreciate your concern for the rule of law, comparing a community-based organization to 'Boko Haram' is not only inaccurate but dangerously inflammatory," the platform said, urging Liberians to separate legitimate oversight questions from ethnic stereotyping.
The forum said communities across Liberia participate in neighborhood watch initiatives and engage private security services, often coordinating with local police structures, and that questions about naming, registration or licensing should be treated as administrative and regulatory matters.
It also defended the Fulani community's record in Liberia.
"The Fula community in Liberia has a long-standing record of peace, entrepreneurship, and law-abiding citizenship," the statement said, adding that assumptions based on a group's name risk undermining social cohesion.
At the same time, the forum said it supports centralized national security and welcomed government oversight to ensure any community safety effort aligns with national standards.
"We agree that national security should be centralized," it said. "We welcome any legitimate oversight from the government to ensure all community safety initiatives are fully aligned with national standards."
Citizens Say Ethnic Branding Crosses a Line
Despite the rebuttal, criticism persisted, with several Liberians arguing that branding a security body along tribal lines is unprecedented and potentially destabilizing, regardless of stated intentions.
"I'm a Muslim, but totally against this!!" wrote Salia Sheriff in response to the Fulani Forum post. He said community policing can be helpful, but warned that an ethnic-specific security label creates suspicion and could be exploited.
"The CEO of the entity may be dreaming big, but co-workers and some members may join with different intention," Sheriff wrote, arguing that night operations and weak oversight could lead to abuse.
Other critics emphasized that established community watch groups and private security firms typically recruit across communities and do not present themselves as an ethnic force.
"The issue is not ethnicity; it's structure," said Norring Boye, arguing that any organized security activity should be regulated and clearly subordinate to state authority. He added that even groups formed with peaceful intentions can change direction over time without firm controls.
Francis Zaiwu urged authorities to intervene quickly, arguing that the state must determine whether the group is registered and whether its activities comply with law.
Senate Security Figure Calls It a National Concern
Former Lofa County Sen. Steven J. Z. Zargo, who previously chaired the Senate Committee on National Defense, Security, Intelligence, and Veteran Affairs, described the development as a serious national security concern that requires urgent official review.
"No security entity should be established solely on a tribal line just as no political party should be established solely on tribal line," Zargo told The Liberian Investigator on Sunday. "That alone is a wakeup call and a call for concern."
Zargo also questioned the attire visible in videos circulating online, saying some clothing appeared similar to uniforms worn by state security institutions.
"At one point, some are in an Immigration uniform, and others are wearing something like PSU or SOD, which is out of order from a security perspective," he said, referring to Liberia's Police Support Unit and other specialized police divisions.
He stressed that private security providers are permitted in Liberia but must follow formal procedures and cannot present themselves as state agencies. Zargo said establishing a private security firm typically requires registration and approval steps covering the entity's name, articles of incorporation, uniforms, and operational scope, including review through relevant government channels, particularly the Ministry of Justice's public safety oversight structures.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Private security must be there to complement national security," he said. "Will they be there to complement or to challenge? Will they be there to help or to harm? These are things we are looking at."
Zargo also pointed to a longstanding national debate over formal recognition of the Fulani as an ethnic group within Liberia's broader identity landscape, arguing that branding a security group along that line could intensify sensitivities.
"There is an argument in our country as to whether Fula is part of our ethnic background -- that has not been resolved yet," he said. "Then how would you want to form a Fula security? ... Bringing in a group called Fula Security will bring a different thought."
Protest Plans Add Pressure on Government
Rev. Philip Blamo, a former Eastern Regional vice president of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas and a member of the Citizens Action Committee, said organizers are planning a march to the Executive Mansion and the Capitol Building to demand action. He described the NFSL as an unlawful security entity and called for accountability for any official who authorized or enabled its operation.
Details of the proposed march, including a date, permit status, and route, were not provided in his public comments, but the announcement added to pressure on authorities to clarify the group's status and the legality of its activities.
