By Laurina B. Lormia
(Cub-Reporter)
The Liberia National Police (LNP) has conducted a significant operation to eliminate zogos and drug-dependent individuals from the Pehlum Building on Center Street.
According to them, the move was aimed at enhancing public safety in the area.
During the operation, thousands of zogos were removed, and authorities discovered five dead bodies wrapped up within the Pehlum Building.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Inquirer Newspaper, the Deputy Inspector General for Police, Nelson Freeman, revealed that the Liberia National Police (LNP), through the Government of Liberia, plans to demolish the Pehlum building on Center Street.
“The structure poses significant risks; it as a ‘whole city by itself’ where daily deaths occur. There is the potential danger of the building collapsing, underscoring the urgent need for its demolition to protect public safety,” Freeman emphasized.
Freeman stated that the decision comes in response to residents’ daily complaints about high crime rates and the lack of peace due to the presence of those homeless zogos within the building, and the LNP is committed to addressing these concerns and restoring safety to the community by removing the zogos and demolishing the structure.
“All occupants, primarily zogos, have been removed from the building. To prevent re-entry, officers are currently on-site, sealing all entrances with blocks and providing round-the-clock security,” he said.
“We put every one of them outside of the building and we assigned security personnel and manpower to monitor the site continuously. If we don’t start to put the rule of law in action, like what we did to get rid of those motorcyclists from the main streets, Liberia will always be a lawless country,” he added.
“This measure is intended to prevent any attempts to reoccupy the structure and to maintain order until the demolition is complete. The comprehensive approach underscores the LNP’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens,” he said.
The operation at the Pehlum Building is part of a broader strategy to enforce law and order across Liberia. By taking firm actions like these, the LNP aims to demonstrate its dedication to public safety and its resolve to combat lawlessness in all forms.
The government is taking significant steps to address the issue of zogoes, by planning the construction of a rehabilitation center in Todee.
This initiative aims to relocate and rehabilitate these individuals, contributing to efforts to restore law and order in Liberia; the government’s commitment to this project underscores its dedication to creating a safer and more orderly society, moving away from the current challenges posed by high crime rates and homelessness.
