By Solomon Gaye
As allegation of joint security obstruction reaching this paper links the Ganta Border’s Drug Enforcement Agency Commander Abraham Payne.
ECOWA assigned representative Nathan Kpaikar said on July 11, 2024, a group of LDEA officers under the supervision of Maj. Payne entered the border over the weekend and halted the joint security operations.
The ECOWAS representative explained that it was during that time that the LRA, the MOC and the ECOWAS Brown Card as well as other ministries stationed at the border were stopped from collecting government’s revenue.
According to Kpaikar, the action of the DEA under the pretense of searching for drugs, brought panic to most of the travelers and caused some of the vehicles to remain on the Guinean side of the border due to fear.
“Nobody is against LDEA, we want them to work in line with joint security scope of operations in the interest of the state so that together the government is able to generate more revenue rather scaring travelers,” Kpaikar alarmed.
The LRA representative at the border confirmed the action carried out by the DEA by spreading its officers at the border on July 11, 2024; admitting that, the action stopped the LRA and other agencies from collecting revenue on that day.
But when Commander Payne was contacted, he said the operation was done in good faith and denied alleged report of any obstruction of joint security operations at the border.
“We confiscated ten cartons of cigarettes and batteries during the search and turned the materials over to vey LRA,” Commander Payne said via mobile phone.
“Many LRA officers are not happy with us because we gridlocked all their black deals with the business people who bring in cigarettes and batteries without paying taxes,” LDEA’s Hilton Wills added via mobile phone.
