A simmering land ownership dispute over the historic Gbarnga Central Cemetery is raising concerns about potential religious and communal tensions in Gbarnga, as city authorities and members of the Muslim community clash over control of the long-standing burial site ahead of Decoration Day.
The disagreement pits the Gbarnga City Corporation (GCC) against leaders of the Muslim community, each asserting competing claims over the cemetery located along the Gbarnga-Lofa Highway, opposite the local offices of the Ministry of Education and adjacent to the Gbarnga Central Prison.
For decades, the burial ground has served residents of Gbarnga and surrounding communities, but the question of who legally owns the land has now emerged as a flashpoint with the potential to inflame religious sensitivities in Gbarnga, one of Bong County's most diverse urban centers.
Tensions escalated when members of the Muslim community began fencing sections of the cemetery in what they described as an effort to secure and preserve the site. According to investigations by the Daily Observer, the project began without formal notification to municipal authorities.
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Officials of the Gbarnga City Corporation insist the cemetery has historically functioned as a public burial ground open to residents of all faiths and backgrounds.
"The cemetery has served the wider community for generations," one city official told the Daily Observer. "We have no records indicating that the land was ever privately transferred or legally deeded to any particular organization."
Municipal authorities said they intervened to halt the fencing project in order to prevent tensions from escalating while the ownership dispute is clarified. During the intervention, tools reportedly used for the construction were confiscated, and Muslim leaders were asked to appear before city officials to explain the purpose of the project and present documentation supporting their claim.
Muslim Community Asserts Historical Ownership
Leaders of the Muslim community strongly dispute the city's position, arguing that the cemetery is a private burial ground historically reserved for Muslim residents.
According to community representatives, the land was willed to the Muslim community by a prominent Muslim resident who lived in Gbarnga during the 1960s. They say the fencing project was intended not to assert control but to protect the site from encroachment and preserve its religious and historical significance.
"We are not trying to create division," a community representative said. "The goal is simply to protect a cemetery that has long been recognized as belonging to the Muslim community."
The community has formally petitioned the Ministry of Local Government and county authorities to intervene and ensure that the matter is resolved fairly and peacefully.
The dispute has since attracted the attention of legal authorities. In a complaint dated February 24, 2026, the Office of the City Solicitor under the Ministry of Justice cited Muslim leaders to a conference aimed at resolving the issue.
City Solicitor Flomo T. N. D. Yarkpawolo invited all parties involved to a mediation meeting scheduled for March 5 at the mayor's office in Gbarnga, where they were asked to present documentation supporting their respective claims.
The complaint followed a communication from the office of Mayor Gallah Varpilah, who reportedly stated that the city government has no official records confirming that any portion of the cemetery had been privately acquired by the Muslim community.
Authorities say the conference is intended to prevent the dispute from escalating and to encourage dialogue as a path toward an amicable settlement.
The controversy has also sparked criticism from some community organizations. The General Secretary of the Gbarnga Mandingo Citizen Union, Mohammed V. Sesay, accused city authorities of misrepresenting the history of the burial ground.
In a statement, Sesay criticized Mayor Varpilah for publicly declaring the cemetery a municipal burial ground, arguing that such assertions contradict long-standing community recognition of the site as a Muslim cemetery.
"A public cemetery is typically owned and managed by municipal authorities and open to the general population," Sesay said. "A private cemetery, on the other hand, is usually restricted to a particular religious or family group. The cemetery in question clearly falls into the latter category."
Sesay warned that unilateral declarations regarding land ownership could deepen social divisions within the community.
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Despite the growing tensions, Muslim leaders say they are urging their members to remain calm, particularly as the dispute unfolds during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Community representatives have appealed to the Bong County Legislative Caucus, local chiefs, and religious leaders to intervene before the disagreement escalates into a broader conflict.
They have also called on Johnny K. Kpeheh, a senator representing Bong County, to facilitate dialogue between the opposing sides.
The dispute comes at a delicate moment for Gbarnga, a city known for its long-standing coexistence among Christian and Muslim communities.
Local observers warn that land disputes involving religious institutions can quickly escalate if not addressed through transparent legal processes and inclusive dialogue.
As mediation efforts continue, many residents say they hope the matter will ultimately be resolved through documentation and negotiation rather than confrontation.
However, the ownership of Gbarnga Central Cemetery remains contested -- leaving a historic burial ground at the center of one of the most sensitive land disputes in Gbarnga in recent years.
