FOYA DISTRICT, Lofa County -- Thousands of residents in several border communities in Sorlumba Clan, Foya District, have fled their homes following the reported presence of Guinean soldiers near the Makona River, triggering panic and disrupting daily life along the Liberia-Guinea border.
Families abandoned homes with bags, bedding and other belongings after armed soldiers believed to be from the Guinean Army crossed near the border area, raising fears of a possible territorial standoff. Schools suspended classes, market activity slowed, and entire villages began emptying as residents moved toward safer communities in Foya and surrounding areas.
Videos circulating on social media show residents trekking away from their communities with children and household items, reflecting the anxiety that has gripped the area since the incident began.
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Border Dispute Triggers Tension
Residents say the situation began on March 2 when soldiers from Guinea allegedly seized equipment belonging to BK Enterprise, a Liberian company engaged in sand mining activities in the Makona River, which forms part of the natural boundary between Liberia and Guinea.
The incident reportedly prompted discussions between local authorities from both countries. Officials from Liberia and Guinea later met in Guéckédou, Guinea, in an effort to resolve the dispute and prevent the situation from escalating.
However, residents say tensions rose again shortly after the meeting when Guinean soldiers reportedly crossed the river and entered what local authorities consider Liberian territory.
According to residents, the soldiers erected a pole bearing the Guinean national flag--an act many locals interpreted as an assertion of territorial claim.
Fear Spreads Through Border Communities
The presence of armed troops quickly spread fear across the Sorlumba border communities.
Foya Statutory District Commissioner B. Njamilah S. Bornguoi confirmed that the soldiers later returned in a group of about forty carrying cement and construction materials.
She said the soldiers erected a flagpole and hoisted the Guinean flag on the Liberian side of the Makona River, a move that alarmed residents and placed local security officers under pressure.
"When people see foreign soldiers building structures in their backyard, fear spreads faster than any official explanation," Bornguoi said.
Within hours, hundreds of residents reportedly fled their homes, some leaving behind farms, shops and personal belongings as they sought safety away from the border.
Civilians Confront Soldiers
Tensions escalated when residents, particularly young men from surrounding communities, gathered near the disputed location and protested what they viewed as a violation of Liberia's territorial sovereignty.
According to Commissioner Bornguoi, the crowd responded by raising a Liberian flag at the same location where the Guinean flag had been erected.
The standoff was later eased following diplomatic communication between authorities in Liberia and Guinea.
Bornguoi said the Guinean soldiers eventually withdrew from the area and returned to Guéckédou, believed to be their base of operations. Despite the withdrawal, many residents remain displaced as fear continues to linger across the border communities.
Local Security Forces Remain on Post
Bornguoi praised officers of the Liberian Immigration Service (LIS) and the Liberian National Police (LNP) stationed in the area for maintaining calm during the tense situation.
"Our officers showed courage under pressure," she said. "They proved that protecting the border does not always require firing a shot."
She nevertheless called on the government to deploy troops of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to strengthen security in vulnerable border communities.
"A nation's sovereignty is most visible at its borders," Bornguoi said. "If we fail to protect them, we risk losing more than land--we risk losing the trust of our people."
Officials Note Absence of Liberian Military Presence
Meanwhile, Foya District Statutory Superintendent Joseph S. Mbokar said there had been no visible presence of Liberian military personnel in the affected communities during the incident.
"We are local people and we do not have arms, so we depend on our national leaders to determine the way forward," Mbokar said.
He warned that the situation resembles other border tensions involving Guinean forces in the region and should not be overlooked by national authorities.
Government Urges Calm as Diplomacy Continues
Amid the tension, the Government of Liberia has called for calm, assuring citizens that diplomatic efforts are underway to address the situation peacefully.
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In a statement issued Tuesday from Capitol Hill, the government said it has taken charge of the situation and is actively engaging Guinean authorities through established diplomatic channels to prevent escalation.
The government said President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has dispatched a high-level inter-ministerial delegation to the border area comprising officials from the Ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Local Government.
According to the statement, the delegation is working with local authorities and their Guinean counterparts to address the situation, strengthen cooperation between border communities, and maintain peace and stability.
The government emphasized that Liberia remains committed to resolving the matter through dialogue and diplomacy in line with its longstanding policy of maintaining peaceful relations with neighboring countries.
Authorities also urged citizens, particularly those living in border communities, to remain calm, obey the law, and rely only on verified information from official government sources while engagements between the two countries continue.
