A wave of physical attacks and verbal abuses against officials of George Weah’s administration or individuals in close proximity to his government by students of the University of Liberia campus-based Student Unification Party (SUP) is on the rise here.
On Tuesday members of SUP launched an attack on Mr. Aloysius Howe, Special Assistant to Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, barely a month after they chased former Solicitor General Cyrenius Cephas off campus chanting “rogue, rogue.”
Unlike Cllr. Cephas who drove off unharmed, Mr. Howe sustained some degree of injuries and his vehicle damaged.
Howe, in a Facebook post accompanied by a video of his smashed vehicle, said: “Today, I was a victim of an act of gangsterism by the vanguard student unification party on the campus of the University of Liberia. I was attacked, injured and my vehicle was destroyed. I feel so much pain in my body and I’m currently at the hospital undergoing treatment.”
Howe had gone on the UL main campus to visit a lecturer -Joseph Blama. He was noticed as the two entered the student center to get some food and drinks.
As the pair waited for their order, the students approached the center and began their attack. He was sneaked out of the campus by other students who came to his rescue.
One official told this paper that not only was Mr. Howe attacked but his life was also threatened.
“His life was threatened, car was destroyed, he got hurt in the process and is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital,” the official said adding “The recent wave of attacks on folks in close proximity of the Weah government, is entirely & totally WRONG (we call for speedy investigation). While we await a full flesh investigation into the matter, we will like to send this message as a caveat to the perpetrators; to desist from such an act as violence has no place in our society.”
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The wave of attacks by students of SUP under this regime has been unprecedented. Former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel F. McGill was a victim of similar attack during a visit on the UL campus.
It is not clear what has been the motivation, but SUP has been a traditionally vocal student-based party and has continued to speak against ills in society at the national level but not reducing this to physical attacks.
The new wave is the first of its kind and has erupted under the George Weah administration.
Meanwhile, the opposition community has remained silent on these waves of attacks against public officials.
