MONTROVIA – The Vanguard Student Unity Party (SUP) accused President Joseph Boachey of unleashing violence against student activists after sparking police crackdowns at the Capitol Hill campus of Liberia University and criticism from both students and university management.
In a statement released Monday, SUP described police actions as “authorized invasion” and “final declaration of war against students in Liberia.” The group claims that some of its members have been injured, at least three people injured in danger, and they are seeking unconditional release of all students who have been detained.
SUP Chairman Sylvester Wheeler has taken direct responsibility for President Boakai and key security personnel and pledged public accountability. “This administration has declared war against the future of this country,” Wheeler said.
SUP also targeted Samuel Kofi Woods, a former member of the movement, a national security adviser, and accused him of staying silent in the face of “national violence.” Wheeler threatened Woods by being expelled from the party if he did not seek the fire of a police inspector.
Beyond police actions, SUP has repeatedly made long-standing complaints about UL’s vice president, vice president of student affairs.
Meanwhile, UL President Dr. Rayli Mapalian condemned the violence, particularly the incident at the university’s Fendor campus that caused the injury to two staff members. Dr. Maparyan warned that students who discovered they would bring weapons to campus would be expelled soon, citing UL’s zero-tolerance policy on violence and weapons.
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The protest stems from student complaints about suspension procedures and ID card access issues. Dr. Maparyan has pledged to investigate these administrative complaints, but she emphasized that violence is not tolerated as a means of advocacy.
It escalated further over the weekend after SUP distributed “Wanted” posters targeted at Dr. Konneh online, deepening fears of ongoing campus instability.
Both the student movement and the university administration are now locked in tense standoffs, with the SUP calling for mass resistance and the administration urging peaceful reforms.
At the time of publication, there was no official response from the Ministry of Justice, the Liberian National Police or the enforcement officer.
