Former President George Weah
EPS Advises George Weah to Seek Private Security Amid Criticism
The Executive Protection Service (EPS), Liberia’s elite presidential security unit, has suggested that former President George Weah hire private security guards if he is dissatisfied with the state’s current security arrangement. The announcement comes in response to Weah’s request for additional bodyguards, which has drawn significant public criticism.
In a press statement released in Monrovia on Wednesday, March 20, the EPS emphasized that Weah already has a robust security detail, reportedly the largest ever assigned to a former Liberian president. “The EPS has assigned several well-trained agents with long-term experience to former President George Weah, meaning he is in safe hands,” stated Philip G. Moore, EPS Communications Director. “If he desires more security protection, he can hire private security guards, as former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai did during their terms.”
The Controversy Surrounding the Request
George Weah, through the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Secretary General Jefferson Koijee, had requested an additional 25 EPS personnel to bolster his security. This request, however, sparked backlash, with critics questioning the need for such an expansion of his security detail.
At a CDC event last week, Koijee made controversial remarks that some interpreted as threats toward current President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. “If you cannot provide the 25 EPS personnel requested, we will protect him ourselves,” Koijee warned. He further stated, “The day we conclude protecting President Weah, you can rest assured you won’t go to work.”
Koijee also hinted at organizing a “national protection day” for Weah, during which President Boakai would allegedly be unable to work from the Executive Mansion.
Koijee’s Troubled Reputation
Koijee’s comments have added to his already controversial image. Last year, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned him for alleged human rights abuses. OFAC accused him of controlling paramilitary-style groups that have disrupted demonstrations and targeted opposition figures.
“Koijee has a reputation for stoking violence and has a powerful grip on Monrovia’s youth,” the OFAC statement noted. It also alleged that his affiliated groups recruited former combatants and recently released prisoners.
EPS Defends Its Protocols
The EPS clarified that while it traditionally provides security for former presidents and vice presidents, there is no legal mandate requiring it. The security detail assigned to a former leader is determined by threat assessments rather than personal requests.
Addressing reports of staff dismissals within the EPS, Moore stated that most of the terminated or resigned officers had left Liberia, with many formally notifying the EPS of their decision.
A Call for Resolution
As debates over Weah’s security needs continue, the EPS’s stance underscores the balance between ensuring the safety of former leaders and managing public perceptions of fairness and necessity. Whether Weah opts for private security or finds satisfaction with his current detail remains to be seen, but the broader implications for Liberia’s political stability are clear: security must be managed without inflaming tensions.
Read the original article on Liberian Observer.
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