Soldiers’ wives held Liberia hostage for over 10 hours

MONROVIA, Liberia

Liberia Defense Minister, Retired Maj. Gen. Prince C. Johnson, resigned from his post on Monday, just 10 days after being appointed by President Joseph Boakai and confirmed by the Liberian Senate, following the army officers’ mutiny that held the country hostage for over ten hours.

Officers of the AFL deployed their wives to hold the Country hostage for over ten hours, demanding, among other things, the resignation of Defense Minister, Retired Maj. Gen. Prince C. Johnson III.

The resignation of Gen. Johnson, former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), which came after intense consultations and lengthy dialogues with major national and international stakeholders, marked the first political crisis President Boakai had to face since he became President 24 days ago.

Officers of the AFL deployed their wives to hold the country hostage for over ten hours, making a litany of demands, the most important being the revocation of the appointment of the Defense Minister, Gen. Johnson. To ensure the success of their mutiny, the officers posted their wives at strategic locations across the country, practically crippling general movement across the country.

They set up roadblocks in Monrovia, Gbarnga, Zwedru, and other locations in the country. Passengers and drivers stuck in long traffic jams on the roads leading to the airport and other areas, opted to abandon their vehicles and continue their journeys on foot.

The mutiny led to the cancellation of the annual Armed Forces Day celebration, scheduled for February 11th, with impeccable sources telling the Daily Observer early Monday morning all the country's barracks were on lockdown. The decision to cancel the event was made by officers who had been expressing their grievances through their wives who then staged the multiple roadblocks on major roads and arteries leading into and out of Monrovia and elsewhere across the country.

The army officers had been indirectly protesting through their wives against bad labor practices, low incentives, inadequate housing, and a lack of proper retirement programs for officers.

The officers have also accused the former Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Prince C. Johnson, of corruption and embezzlement, with specific reference to funds that were intended for servicemen who were serving on Peacekeeping Missions, especially in Mali. They called for his nomination as Minister of Defense to be revoked, though he had already been confirmed by the Senate.

Last week, the soldiers’ wives stormed the grounds of the Capitol, urging members of the Senate not to confirm retired General Prince Johnson lll as Defense Minister. The protests, however, intensified across the country, spreading to barracks in Gbarnga, Todee, Zwedru, Robertsfield Highway, and other parts of the country.

The officers believe that Johnson was not a better leader for the past six years when he served as COS.

Some army officers who spoke to the Daily Observer on condition of anonymity described their former Chief of Staff as a pure dictator. “He is heartless and only seeks his welfare,” one said. “He did not seek our welfare. He had no time for us. He was even the one suppressing us.”