– Arrests several suspects in Grand Bassa
Buchanan, Liberia – Liberian authorities have apprehended six individuals for allegedly sabotaging the nation’s vital Yekepa-Buchanan railway in a three-day blockade that disrupted iron ore shipments and threatened economic stability. Grand Bassa County police took Andrew Jokpo (22), Sampson Pokiay (43), Cyrus Bloue (32), Prince Quito (27), Stanley Ben (19), and Samuel Barchue (19) into custody following their reported involvement in the June 10-12 infrastructure attacks that paralyzed ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) operations.
The suspects – identified as former employees of contractor WBHO – allegedly escalated a labor dispute into economic vandalism by piling debris on tracks, removing steel sleepers, and lighting fires along a four-kilometer stretch between Kilometer Six and Ten. Their actions forced the shutdown of Africa’s largest private iron ore carrier, which moves approximately 15 million metric tons annually from Nimba’s mines to Buchanan’s export terminals.
ArcelorMittal Liberia issued a stern condemnation of the sabotage, warning that such illegal acts jeopardize rail safety, threaten thousands of jobs, and destabilize the nation’s primary revenue stream. “These criminal disruptions don’t resolve grievances – they punish all Liberians by strangling the economic lifeline that funds public services,” stated AML’s communications director, noting the railway contributes over 30% of Liberia’s export earnings.
The 243-kilometer rail corridor, originally constructed in the 1960s and modernized through AML’s $1.7 billion Phase II expansion, serves as Liberia’s industrial backbone. Economic analysts confirm that each day of rail disruption costs the national treasury nearly $2 million in lost royalties and taxes, with ripple effects across the mining sector’s 8,000-strong workforce.
Police investigators are preparing multiple charges including economic sabotage, criminal mischief, and endangerment of transport infrastructure under Liberia’s Revised Penal Code. Forensic teams continue documenting damage to the railbed where protesters allegedly extracted components critical for track stability.
This incident marks the fourth rail blockade in 18 months, revealing persistent tensions between mining contractors and local communities. While WBHO confirms terminating the suspects’ employment in Q1 2025, the company denies owing back wages or benefits – a claim protesters violently contested instead of pursuing legal channels.
The National Bureau of Concessions has convened emergency talks with labor leaders, local chiefs, and AML executives to prevent further disruptions. “There are proper channels for addressing grievances that don’t involve holding the national economy hostage,” remarked the Bureau’s director during a site inspection of the damaged tracks.
As repair crews work to restore full operations, security forces have deployed additional patrols along the rail corridor. The case has reignited debates about balancing community concerns with protecting strategic infrastructure, with lawmakers now fast-tracking legislation to impose stricter penalties for economic infrastructure vandalism.
