By Thomas Domah, Nimba County
The source of gunfire behind the Magistrate Office of the National Elections Commission in Sanniquellie, Nimba County remains a subject of investigation in the county.
As a result of Friday’s firing of over five single-barrel rounds coupled with reports of threats to burn down the NEC local office in Upper Nimba, the Government of Liberia has deployed huge state security officers to protect the building.
The firing of live weapon followed a Supreme Court’s instruction last week to the National Elections Commission to conduct recounts in some parts of the 84 polling centers in Electoral District#4, Nimba County.
On Friday night 12 January unknown persons discharged firearm behind the NEC magisterial office in Sanniquellie. Some villagers suspect that those involved may be supporters of Representative Gunpue L. Kargon or supporters of newly elected Representative Ernest Manseah, whose poll result was challenged in court.
Residents of Sanniquellie who live around the NEC local office narrated to the NEW DAWN Nimba correspondent that the attackers used single barrel pistol in committing the act.
There has been no arrest since the incident, a police source said.
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However, residents around the NEC local office said since the Supreme Court of Liberia rendered opinion in the electoral dispute case in District #4, they have noticed strange movement around the NEC local office prior to the incident.
Bill Bumie, spokesperson for Representative-elect Ernest Manseah; Junior Nutuah, Chairman and Sampson Tougbay, planning chairman; accused Representative Gunpue L. Kargon and his supporters of being the masterminds of the incident with an intent to burn down the NEC local office in Sanniquellie.
They also accused an instructor at the Nimba County University Allen Zor, hosting more than 300 men believed to be involved into the various incidents that the NEC sub-office in Sanniquellie is experiencing.
They expressed disappointment and frustrations about the dangerous path in which the district is being taken.
According to them, because of the increase of electoral cases in the district, including the latest, the area did not participate in Monday’s elections at the Capitol in Monrovia for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives that led to the first sitting of the 55th Legislature and constitution of various committees.
However, they have told rival supporters of the disputed contestants to stay in their respective zones to avoid violence and allow the NEC to carry out the recount of votes as mandated by the Supreme Court.
This paper gathered that District #4 recorded most of electoral violence than the other 8 eight districts in Nimba during the October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative Elections in Liberia.
The NEC has not yet announced a date for the recount in Sanniquellie but rival supporters of the two candidates appear to be restless in the district.
But Mr. Zor denied, dismissing the allegation as far from the truth.
“I don’t want to listen to that brother; I just returned from work and I don’t have over 300 men with me that they told you about. Let people come to my home and search; if I have 300 men”, Mr. Allen Zor responded.
Several supporters of Representative Gunpue L. Kargon denied their involvement in the discharge of firearms and instead, accused supporters of Representative-elect Ernest Manseah of committing the act.
The claims and counter-claims may continue endlessly until Police round up suspects to establish the truth. Editing by Jonathan Browne
