Recent events have raised alarm regarding security situations in Liberia, although it remains unclear whether Liberian authorities are aware of these developments. A senior Guinean army officer, who had been declared wanted in Guinea, was arrested within Liberia’s borders without any official statement from Liberian security forces.
In a related incident, a small aircraft, reportedly taking off from an unregistered airfield in Liberia, was apprehended in Sierra Leone. On September 20, 2024, authorities in Sierra Leone detained a fourteen-seater aircraft that made an unauthorized landing at Freetown International Airport (FNA) after allegedly flying from Liberia en route to Mexico.
The Government of Sierra Leone, through its Ministry of Information and Civic Education, issued a press release indicating that authorities swiftly mobilized to investigate the incident. The preliminary findings revealed that four individuals were on board, including the captain. Three of the passengers are identified as Mexican nationals, while the fourth holds a Spanish passport.
According to the release, the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), security forces, and the Office of National Security are conducting technical and security investigations. Initial investigations suggest that the aircraft did not originate from any recognized airfield in Liberia and lacked the necessary landing permit. Furthermore, it failed to contact the Air Traffic Controller at FNA prior to landing.
Compounding the situation, the aircraft was discovered to be operating under a fake registration number, with parts of the number apparently scratched off. Although the crew claimed they experienced a radio failure before landing, a technical inspection indicated that the radio was functioning properly. The crew also resisted submitting their documents to Sierra Leonean officials, despite repeated requests. Notably, the flight captain, who initially stated he did not speak English, later communicated in English, revealing he was paid $20,000 for the trip from Liberia to Mexico. He did not say who hired him and what he was conveying.
As a result of these findings, all four individuals on the aircraft have been handed over to the Sierra Leone Police for further investigation. Additionally, two air traffic controllers have also been summoned to the Criminal Investigations Department for questioning, bringing the total number of individuals under investigation to six.
These incidents highlight significant security concerns in the region and raise questions about the effectiveness of monitoring and regulation in both Liberia and Sierra Leone. Further developments are awaited as investigations continue. The Liberian government could not be reached for comment on the situation.
