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There is an adage in Liberia that says, “When you are a victim of a snake bite, you run away whenever you see the tail of a lizard.” This is the case of Liberians who lived through the country’s more than 14 years of civil war.
Fear gripped Liberians over the weekend when a video of some individuals believed to be Fulanis in security training surfaced on social media (Facebook). In the video, the well-built individuals, wearing military and other security apparel, were heard speaking Fula.
For a country that witnessed the killing of approximately 250,000 people and the displacement of dozens of others in a civil war, seeing these men appearing to be beating war drums sent shivers down the spines of many.
This news widely took over the Liberian social media (Facebook) space, as seen here, here, and here, and received massive traditional media coverage as reported by Front Page Africa (FPA) Newspaper and the New Dawn Newspaper, as well as other media outlets in the country.
It has been alleged that the private Fula security group has been linked to militia or terrorist activities, something the Fula community in Liberia has since denied.
According to a statement issued by the office of the governor of the Fula community in Liberia, the group, known as the National Fula Security of Liberia, has existed since 2011.
According to the governor’s office, “The Fula Security of Liberia is a voluntary organisation founded in 2011 to support community service, especially within the Muslim community during the holy month of Ramadan. Members of the group help maintain order during night prayers and collaborate with the Liberia National Police to ensure worshippers travel safely to and from mosques.”
The statement quoted the Fula Governor as saying that the group has a history of peacefully escorting muslim worshippers to nearby transportation points, including taxis and kehkehs, adding that the Fula community is law-abiding.
According to the statement, the formation of the security is aimed at protecting Muslims during the month of Ramadan, adding that during the fast month, Muslims wake up as early as 5 AM to make their way to various mosques across the capital, Monrovia.
Why are Liberians panicking?
It has been more than twenty years since the end of Liberia’s fourteen-plus years of civil war in 2003, but it seems that Liberians still live with fresh memories from the impact of the war.
Since the signing of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord on August 18, 2023, in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, Liberians have vowed never to return to that path.
The document was a Peace Agreement between the Government of Liberia, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), the Movement of Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), and the Political Parties (Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord/Agreement).
The Liberian Civil War, which started in 1989 and ended on August 18, 2003, through a peace agreement, was largely driven by deep-rooted ethnic, economic, and political inequalities.
Beginning with the 1980 coup by Samuel Doe, which ended the “Americo-Liberian” supremacy and introduced tribal favouritism and corruption, extreme dissatisfaction, coupled with the slain former President Doe’s brutal regime, led jailed Liberian leader Charles Taylor to launch an invasion from neighbouring Ivory Coast.
Because of the ethnic roots of the Liberian civil war, Liberians are so mindful of any ethnic groupings that tend to recreate any form of security or defensive movement for a particular tribe in the country.
During the Liberian civil war, the late warlord-turned-politician was elected Senator of Nimba County for his role during the crisis. Prince Y. Johnson said that he became active during the crisis when he came to the defence of his kinsmen (Nimbians), who, according to him, were being killed by former president Samuel K. Doe from the Krahn ethnic group, something that led to Doe’s death at the hands of Prince Johnson.
Also, the waves of coups on the continent, particularly in West Africa, and with the ongoing violent conflict between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and sedentary farmers in Nigeria, primarily in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, have made things even more complicated.
What does the government say?
The Liberian government, through the Ministry of Justice, in a statement issued on February 16, 2026, said that it is not aware of any such group operating in the country, as claimed by the group.
The statement quotes the Liberian Justice Ministry as saying,
“The Ministry of Justice has taken note of alarming reports, images, and public communications circulating on social media concerning the purported establishment and recruitment activities of a group identifying itself as the ‘National Fula Security of Liberia (NFSL).’”
“The Ministry states unequivocally that no authorisation, permit, registration, license, or operational approval has been granted by the Government of the Republic of Liberia for the creation, operation, recruitment, or deployment of any entity under the name “National Fula Security of Liberia” or any similar formation,” the Ministry’s statement furthered
According to the Ministry, under Liberian law, the establishment or organisation of such a group requires prior authorisation from the Government through the Ministry of Justice, through the Division of Public Safety.
A screenshot of the Ministry’s statement.
What are Liberians saying?
A social media influencer based in Canada and a staunch supporter of the ruling government, Varney Teah, commonly known as Strong Gbana Pekin, wants the government to end the ongoing training and recruitment of this group.
He took to his official Facebook page saying,
“Rescue Mission, we should not be afraid of people initiating tribal or religious sentiment in this one. This should not be happening anywhere in Liberia. The Ministry of Justice should just intervene right now and stop this. No tribe or ethnic group should have its own security apparatus. If every tribe decides to do the same by having their own protective security groupings, the country will descend into chaos. No prejudice to the Fula community, but whoever is behind this should just stop now. This has no place in our society.”
Amb. Mohammed Bah is the Special Presidential Envoy on Investment of the government of Liberia and a Fulani. Bah strongly opposes the group and calls for its immediate disbandment.
On his official Facebook page, Bah wrote, “I have personally engaged in discussions with the leader of the group in question and urged that it be disbanded. From our conversation, it was made clear that the original intention behind its formation was not to create a militia or to promote any form of ethnic-based organisation. Rather, the stated objective was to protect the mosque and certain businesses within the community.”
Abu Sherif, a Liberian Journalist, had this to say, “So, what could be the purpose of forming a ‘belligerent Fula Community Police Force’? Has the joint security not served their security needs? What is the scope of their function? Assuming every tribal group forms a security force of its own, what would that look like?”
Conclusion
Meanwhile, the government, through the Ministry of Justice, had halted any process leading to the training and recruitment of any person into a private militia. It has launched a full-scale investigation into the matter. At the same time, the government has provided armed security personnel at various mosques across the country as muslims commence the holy month of Ramadan.
