Editorial: Re-strategizing the Fight Against Armed Robbery

Liberia’s political season may now be over, but its aftermath is something that must worry all peaceful citizens, most especially those within the immediate environs of Monrovia, including Paynesville, Robertsfield Highway and Bardnersville.

Since the process of the Run-Off Presidential election as announced by the National Elections Commission, these peace-loving citizens continue to suffer at the hands of a few of their undesirable and heartless compatriots, through armed robbery.

Their criminal actions further intensified immediately following a threatening 72 hour ultimatum to them by the Acting Director of Police, Colonel Chris Massaquoi. Under high narcotic influences, these armed criminals continue to perpetrate some of the most heinous crimes with no regards to humanity or whatsoever.

The carnage and barbarism which characterize the perpetration of these armed robberies in the city and its environs are creating serious insecurity among the population, especially those who can afford to purchase and install steel doors and windows at their various homes. Such vulnerability, coupled with the late and untimely interventions of the police makes it even more dangerous for these citizens, who equally pay taxes to the government.

Whether or not such heinous crime is structurally coordinated in our society, its frequency in most of communities makes it more imperative for the Joint Security of Liberia, headed by the Ministry of Justice to revisit its strategies in vigorously pursuing these hard-core criminals in the interest of the citizens. It is a proven fact that these armed robbers are usually seen relaxing and brainstorming their early morning targets at various ghettos and mix-shift communities in Monrovia and its environs.

It is also proven that after perpetrating these rapes and barbarisms of all forms between 12 midnight to 3 am in some communities and 2 to 3:30 am in others, the armed robbers sleep between 4am and 12 mid-day before gathering at these ghettos to drug themselves for their criminal activities.

While the police, mainly ERU and PSU may be untimely in their interventions, the failure of some neighborhoods to maximize their GSM network is also a major hindrance in the fight against these armed robbers. The unity of the neighborhoods in GSM or cell phone networking to attract the police or joint security is very cardinal in this fight.

While the police is trying its best in the face of logistical difficulties, community dwellers must make maximum use of their various cell phones in helping each other physically or through police efforts.