Civil Society Group – Solidarity Trust for New Day criticizes the Liberia National Police restriction on motorcycle transportation in Monrovia.
The group said in a statement that the police decision to restrict the movement of motorbike and Keke (auto rickshaw) riders, based on unfounded suspicions that they are planning to retaliate for the death of a fellow rider, violates their fundamental rights and is outright illegal.
“Given the severe legal and economic consequences of this arbitrary action against motorcyclists and tricyclists (who are taxpayers and serve thousands of Liberians daily) the police must immediately revoke this unjust ban,” it said.
The statement:
It is evident that the authorities are exploiting this situation as a pretext to implement a long-standing plan to suppress and alienate the motorcyclist and tricyclist community under the guise of public safety.
-MISPLACED PRIORITIES-
Deputy Police Director for Operations, Cllr. Nelson Freeman, addressing the recent tragic death of a bike rider, stated in a media interview that the rider was hit by a truck while climbing Crown Hill on Broad Street due to a mechanical failure. He further confirmed that the victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
This proves that the tragic accident was caused by a faulty killer truck, a recurring and entirely preventable danger on our roads.
While the resulting frustration among bike operators led to unfortunate clashes with the police, law enforcement had a moral and legal duty to de-escalate tensions by ensuring justice—starting with the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
Instead, rather than holding the actual culprits accountable, the police opted for the indiscriminate and unjustified targeting of an entire group (most of whom are law-abiding, taxpaying citizens). This decision is reckless, unlawful, and unacceptable, especially coming from a legal practitioner like Cllr. Freeman, who is now in charge of police operations.
Declaring sections of Monrovia off-limits to motorcyclists and tricyclists is nothing short of discrimination, and it must not be tolerated.
-SELECTIVE POLICING ENCOURAGES LAWLESSNESS-
While the police clamp down on bike riders, they continue to turn a blind eye to the real danger on our roads, killer trucks.
The LNP’s failure to enforce road safety has led to countless preventable accidents caused by unroadworthy death trucks. These hazardous vehicles, which should not even be allowed on village roads, continue to operate freely in Monrovia, posing a daily threat to pedestrians, drivers, and passengers alike. The police see them, but do nothing.
Checkpoints and law enforcement should not single out motorcyclists while ignoring reckless truck drivers whose vehicles are ticking time bombs.
The rule of law must be applied fairly. The selective crackdown on bike riders, while ignoring the dangers of killer trucks, has only escalated public frustration. If this government is serious about safety, it must remove unroadworthy trucks from our streets.
-POLICE DISCRIMINATION HURTS THE ECONOMY-
The police must immediately lift all movement restrictions imposed on motorcyclists and tricyclists.
This is not law enforcement; t is discrimination, plain and simple. It disrupts livelihoods, undermines economic activity, and breeds unnecessary tensions.
By allowing some to move freely while restricting others, the police are enforcing an unjust system reminiscent of oppressive colonial control policies. These are Liberian citizens, taxpayers, who have met all legal requirements to operate, including wearing helmets, reflective jackets, and registering their motorcycles and tricycles.
Unless President Boakai’s government intends to enforce arbitrary martial law (which would be legally challengeable) the Liberia National Police has no legal grounds to strip commercial bike riders of their constitutional right to free movement.
-BOAKAI’S GOVERNANCE: ENABLING LAWLESSNESS-
The LNP’s blanket punishment of all bike riders for the actions of a few is not only unjust but counterproductive. Criminal responsibility is individual, not collective. This is a foundational principle of any legitimate legal system. Enforcing laws case by case is the only way to prevent further chaos and uphold justice.
Yet, the bigger question remains:
How can a government led by President Boakai, who governs by lawlessness, set a different example for Liberia’s youth?
President Boakai’s embrace of lawless governance is well documented. Not even the Supreme Court has been spared from his disregard for legal norms.
For instance, despite widespread public outrage, President Boakai has treated Liberia as if it’s his personal farm; unlawfully removing a constitutionally elected Speaker and installing a bootlicker and loyalist who has openly pledged allegiance to the presidency instead of the people; Illegally dismissing tenured officials to replace them with political allies, to name a few.
If these violations go unchecked, history will not judge Mr. Boakai kindly. Nevertheless, the people will not tolerate dictatorship in a democracy.
The president still has a chance to change course. By publicly distancing himself from the political highjacking that led to the removal of a legitimate speaker—driven by the notion that ‘Money speaks and bullshit walks’—he could avoid a major crisis and postpone the inevitable political backlash that’s gathering momentum. Should he refuse, the people will hold him accountable, for ‘All power is inherent in the people.’
-NO ‘COW FESTIVALS’ CAN REPLACE JUSTICE-
In response to criticism over the police overreach, Deputy Police Director Nelson Freeman stated:
‘We even killed a cow and played football matches with bike riders to encourage lawful behavior.’
This is utterly absurd.
Does the police truly believe that after participating in a cow-eating festival, young Liberians will suddenly think,
‘We enjoyed the cow meat and football match; we’ll never break the law again’?
This shameless attempt at distraction only proves one thing:
No amount of cow-killing or football matches can restore justice in a country where government officials themselves violate the law—led by a president who enables lawlessness as its chief patron.
-DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION-
Since the police claim that these ‘Restrictions are temporary,’ we urge the immediate and unconditional lifting of all bans on commercial bike riders.
These hardworking, taxpaying Liberians are entitled to equal access to public roads and facilities. The government’s confiscation of hundreds of bikes is not only unjust but a direct attack on the livelihoods of these individuals.
It is imperative that these bikes are immediately returned to their rightful owners so they can resume their work and provide for their families. Anything less is a blatant violation of their rights and an affront to justice.
