By By: Staff Writer
Monrovia, Liberia — Regional security collaboration moved into a new phase on Monday as the Liberia National Police welcomed a high-powered delegation from the Sierra Leone Police for a week-long engagement in Monrovia, signaling a renewed push to strengthen cross-border policing and confront transnational threats across the Mano River Union.
LNP Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman, who recently returned from an official visit to Freetown, said the mission marks a major breakthrough in putting into action the commitments he and Sierra Leone’s police leadership endorsed just weeks ago. He told the gathering at LNP Headquarters that rising terrorism risks and expanding criminal networks demand unified responses rather than isolated national strategies.
Coleman warned that crime has become borderless, stressing that no West African nation is insulated from threats moving across the region. He said the visit signals a shift away from bureaucratic delays and toward real-time collaboration, proposing that regional commanders from both countries establish direct communication lines to address urgent concerns.
The Liberian police chief disclosed plans for joint border operations, harmonized training programs, and a shared intelligence system that could soon extend to Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire. Such an expansion would create a four-nation security corridor aimed at blocking criminal networks exploiting weak points along West Africa’s coastline.
Calling for comprehensive reviews of policing councils, retirement packages, and institutional reforms, Coleman urged both sides to prepare a working document aligned with Liberia’s 2026–2030 policing plan. He emphasized that unified policing reduces vulnerabilities, noting that criminal groups are actively probing coastal areas for weak spots.
Responding on behalf of the visiting delegation, Sierra Leone’s Assistant Inspector General of Police John Martins Senesie described Liberia as “home,” noting that shared history and cultural ties make cooperation both natural and necessary. Quoting Ecclesiastes, he said two are better than one, adding that the Sierra Leone Police is in Liberia to learn, exchange ideas, and build stronger mechanisms to pursue criminals across both jurisdictions.
Senesie said the two institutions must “pick out the bad eggs” and remain relentless in pursuing drug traffickers, human traffickers, cybercriminals, and other organized networks that operate between the two nations.
Another delegation member underscored the urgency, noting a rise in trafficking and terrorist movements from the Sahel into West Africa. He explained that managing high-risk border routes like Jendema requires shared strategies and continuous cooperation.
The week-long visit builds on IG Coleman’s November 17–21, 2025 mission to Freetown, where he held talks with Sierra Leone’s Vice President, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and senior police executives. The meetings concluded with a joint communiqué that reaffirmed commitments to coordinated crime prevention, intelligence sharing, joint training, community policing reforms, cybercrime response, and efforts to curb illegal weapons movement.
Coleman said both presidents, Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Julius Maada Bio, fully support the long-term vision of forming a four-nation policing alliance involving Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire. He said the ultimate goal is to establish “one umbrella, one unit, one mission” to protect citizens across their shared borders.
Declaring the joint session officially open, Coleman expressed confidence that the engagements will yield actionable recommendations. Over the coming days, the delegations will participate in technical meetings, border security assessments, operational planning sessions, and reviews of policing structures as they work to advance a unified regional security network.
