– As Women’s Group Urges Rehabilitation
By Jerromie S. Walters & Vaye Lepolu
MONROVIA – More than twenty individuals struggling with drug addiction spent Thursday and the ensuing night detained at the Liberia National Police (LNP) headquarters following their arrest earlier that day. The group had been marching to appeal for public support and rehabilitation services when law enforcement intervened, citing public disturbance and obstruction of traffic.
The march began Thursday morning in the King Gray and SD Cooper Road communities, where addicted youth took to the streets to draw attention to their plight and call for access to rehabilitation. Their demonstration, however, was met with a heavy-handed response from officers of the Liberia National Police and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), resulting in multiple arrests.
Police Spokesperson Cecelia Clarke confirmed the detentions but could not provide a timeline for their release. She stated that the arrests were made after the group obstructed movement along the RIA Highway and allegedly engaged in disorderly conduct, including throwing stones. The youth protest follows a massive anti-drug march on August 7, 2025, when hundreds of Liberians called on the government to take urgent action against the country’s worsening drug crisis.
Dozens of drug users were voluntarily relocated to the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) Center in Johnsonville on Thursday evening. The move was facilitated by the Multi-Sectoral Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse as part of a broader effort to provide support and rehabilitation for at-risk youth.
The individuals will remain at the center temporarily before being integrated into the National Rehabilitation Program, which offers medical, psychological, and social support services. Augustus Walker, Director of Communications at the Ministry of Health, clarified that those relocated were not among the group arrested by police earlier in the week. Instead, he emphasized that these individuals had willingly come forward to seek help.
The arrest and detention have flared public debate regarding Liberia’s approach to its growing drug crisis. Many citizens and advocates have criticized the government’s reliance on punitive measures rather than providing adequate rehabilitation and social reintegration programs for addiction victims.
Drug use among Liberian youth has reached alarming levels, with recent studies revealing that 20% of young people—approximately two in every ten—are now using narcotics. The deepening crisis intensified throughout 2024–2025, when the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) confiscated 9,651.23 kilograms of illegal substances valued at over $4.9 million (LRD 949 million) during nationwide operations.
The synthetic drug Kush accounted for the largest portion of seizures, with authorities intercepting 5,494.50 kilograms worth an estimated $2.3 million (LRD 405.5 million). These figures underscore the scale of Liberia’s growing drug epidemic and the sophisticated trafficking networks operating within the country.
WONGOSOL Urges Rehabilitation Over Raids
In the wake of the police raids targeting disadvantaged youths, the Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) is calling on the government to pivot from punitive measures to a strategy of rehabilitation and empowerment, arguing that arrests alone fail to address the root causes of drug abuse and street involvement.
While acknowledging the Liberia National Police’s role in maintaining public safety, WONGOSOL released a statement stressing that repeated raids are an ineffective long-term solution. The group pointed out that without complementary social strategies, such operations merely address symptoms, leading to a cyclical pattern of crime and re-arrest.
“The government must adopt a more intentional, holistic approach,” the statement urged, outlining a clear path forward. Central to their recommendation is the immediate establishment of well-funded rehabilitation centers across Liberia, equipped to provide medical detox, psychological counseling, and vocational training for victims of drug abuse.
Beyond rehabilitation, WONGOSOL advocates for robust support programs designed to integrate disadvantaged youths back into society. This includes providing subsidies, life skills training, and partnering with civil society organizations to deliver sustained socio-economic counseling and empowerment initiatives.
The group grounded its appeal in Liberia’s international commitments, specifically referencing the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security and the African Youth Charter. These frameworks, WONGOSOL noted, obligate the government to create protective opportunities for young people and include them in peace and development, moving beyond purely punitive measures.
“Every young person deserves dignity, guidance, and opportunities,” the statement concluded, reiterating the urgent need for a national shift from temporary enforcement to sustainable interventions that truly protect, rehabilitate, and empower Liberia’s youth for a safer and more inclusive future.
“The biggest and most important anti-drug awareness”:
For Cllr. Edward Toomey of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC), he described the demonstration by the at-risk youth as “the biggest and most important anti-drug awareness campaign that can happen anywhere.” Cllr. Toomey praised the protesters for their self-awareness, noting that their acknowledgment of addiction marks significant progress in the national fight against substance abuse.
“That the victims themselves have reached the point of realization that they are victims represents enormous progress,” he said. “This action could lead to a drastic decline in the demand or the market for narcotic drugs.” Toomey also emphasized that the march underscores the need for rehabilitation centers across Liberia and called for stronger judicial measures to combat drug supply chains.
“Those on the supply side must be drastically pursued and taken off the streets. They are the most dangerous people in this war,” he asserted, proposing the establishment of a fast-track drug court—even an ad hoc one—to accelerate prosecutions. The protest and subsequent commentary come amid ongoing operations by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), including a recent raid on a drug hotspot in King Gray.
While these efforts have been widely publicized, questions about their effectiveness and timing are being raised by voices within the community. Among the critics is T. Kla Wesley Jr., a prominent Liberian youth advocate, who expressed concern that arrests alone are insufficient. “Yes, the raid has been carried out. Yes, drug users have been arrested. But what happens next?” he asked. “Will they be jailed shortly and released, only to return to the same streets?”
Wesley argued that the government must prioritize rehabilitation and job creation to break the cycle of addiction and crime. “Arresting and releasing users without helping them recover is like wasting water on a dog’s back,” he said, invoking a local proverb. He further challenged the notion that Liberia lacks the resources to fund such programs, pointing to widespread mismanagement of public funds. “Some of the very funds that get lost or lead to suspensions could easily finance a strong rehabilitation program,” Wesley stated. “It is possible if the country truly has the will.”
Recently, the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA), a registered NGO founded in 2012 by Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, awarded a total of $30,000 in grants to three community-based organizations (CBOs) leading the fight against Liberia’s growing drug epidemic. Each of the three CBOs—Zogo WeCare, Coffee With Jojo, and the Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration—received $10,000.
