MONROVIA – Tensions flared at the National Identification Registry (NIR) on Monday, September 1, 2025, as young supporters of the Unity Party allegedly attacked public sector workers in a dispute over the appointment of the agency’s new Deputy Executive Director for Administration. The incident left NIR’s Director for Communications, Daniel Sloh Sargbe, injured, according to video footage circulating online.
The attack reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over the appointment of longtime Unity Party stalwart Alphonso Belleh. Belleh was named Deputy Executive Director for Administration by President Joseph Boakai, but some party loyalists, aligned with the so-called ‘Rescue Mission,’ sought to block the transition amid a change of position by Minister of Internal Affairs F. Sakila Nyumalin.
Reacting to the violence, exiled Liberian activist and chief convener of Voices from Exile (VEx), Martin K. N. Kollie, issued a statement strongly condemning the attack. “This unacceptable act is a semblance of the very past that we fought to alter,” Kollie said. He stressed that while the constitutional right of the President to appoint officials must be respected, no political disagreement justifies violence against public sector workers.
Kollie urged party members to pursue grievances through intra-party structures and mechanisms, including demands for jobs, scholarships, business grants, internships, and manpower development opportunities. “If intra-party engagements and inter-party dialogues are not working, it is the right of the Youth Congress and all aggrieved partisans to peacefully protest as a way of expressing their displeasure. This is what we support, and not violence,” he emphasized.
The activist further called on President Boakai to prioritize national concerns over political disputes, specifically highlighting unemployment as Liberia’s most pressing challenge. “The greatest and most imminent threat in Liberia right now is joblessness. It is not just a threat to peace, but also to national security and sovereignty. It is time to cut down on public waste,” Kollie said.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police (LNP) confirmed the arrest of several youths affiliated with the Unity Party in connection with the incident. Reports indicate that the group disrupted a program intended to formally introduce the new Deputy Director and allegedly assaulted NIR Executive Director Andrew Peters. The youths maintain that Alphonso Belleh is the legitimate presidential appointee for the position.
