– Leave Rural Bank in Lofa Devastated
By Jerromie S. Walters
J. Mason Kollie Contributed
VOINJAMA, LIBERIA – An alleged overnight robbery has stripped an essential financial institution in northern Liberia of millions of Liberian dollars and a significant sum of foreign currency, plunging the community into crisis and raising serious questions about regional security.
The Kolahun Rural Community Finance Institution (KRCIF), a cornerstone of Voinjama’s economy and the area’s primary banking option, was reportedly targeted by robbers on the night of Tuesday, August 26, 2025. In a calculated move to obstruct the investigation, the perpetrators not only allegedly emptied the vault but also removed the entire digital video recorder (DVR) unit housing the facility’s CCTV cameras.
On Wednesday morning, a crowd of distressed customers including civil servants, local businesses, and residents who relied on the institution for their savings and financial transactions gathered outside the sealed facility, many overcome with emotion and were unable to speak as they confronted the potential loss of their life savings.
Management at the scene only mentioned that some funds were stolen but remained tight-lipped on additional duties. They deferred all other questions and stated an official statement would be issued “in due time.” It was confirmed that the Chief Executive Officer, was in the capital, Monrovia, receiving medical treatment at the time of the incident and has yet to return.
Local journalists familiar with the institution confirm that the KRCIF has operated for over seven years and maintains several branches across Lofa County. It also serves as a critical partner and correspondent for larger commercial banks based in Monrovia, facilitating money transfer and banking services for a population otherwise cut off from the national financial system.
The Liberia National Police (LNP) is yet to confirm if they are investigating the alleged robbery at the location. Some Liberians believe that thealeged robbery strikes a severe blow to financial inclusion in the region. According to them, the theft of the CCTV system, a key piece of evidence, suggests a highly sophisticated operation.
A Flashback:
On August 6, 2025, an armed man attempted to rob a teller in the Private Banking Lounge of Ecobank’s head office. The suspect, a University of Liberia lecturer named Fobay Emery Johnson, was apprehended by bank security after tussling with the teller, who was able to sound an alarm.
Johnson was taken into custody by the Liberia National Police (LNP). CCTV footage from the bank showed Johnson, who was disguised with a mask, pulling a shotgun on the teller. Johnson reportedly admitted to police that he purchased the gun for $60.
On August 11, 2025, Johnson was formally charged with armed robbery and criminal attempt to commit murder. He appeared in court and was remanded to a prison, as armed robbery is a non-bailable offense in Liberia. With this, many believe financial institutions need to tighten up their security.
The Kolahun region, for which the recently alleged looted finance institution is named, is an administrative district of Lofa County. It was the scene of heavy fighting during Liberia’s second civil war, a conflict that caused massive population displacement and widespread destruction. The looted institution, however, is located in Voinjama, the small city that serves as the capital of Lofa County.
Nestled in Liberia’s hilly far north near the Guinean border, Voinjama was once a bustling crossroads town known for its large weekly market. Its pre-war population was primarily composed of the Lorma and Mandingo tribes, alongside other ethnic groups from the region. The city was an educational hub, hosting the public Voinjama Multilateral High School, Saint Joseph’s Catholic School, and several private institutions.
Prior to the conflicts, the city’s infrastructure was a hallmark of development. It featured an electric generating station that provided evening power, a water treatment plant supplying running water, and the Voinjama airport—a grass-strip facility with weekly flights to Monrovia. Its central plaza was a major transportation hub, with public cars connecting the city to Zorzor, Monrovia, Kolahun, and the Guinean border just four miles away.
Lofa County itself forms Liberia’s northernmost extent. As one of the nation’s 15 counties, it encompasses nine districts—including Kolahun—over an area of 3,854 square miles. With a population of 367,376 as of the 2022 census, it is the country’s fourth most populous county, bordered by Sierra Leone to the northwest, Guinea to the northeast, and Liberian counties to the south and west.
