GONELOR, GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY, LIBERIA – OCTOBER 16, 2026: The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has expressed serious concern over a violent confrontation involving its Inspectorate Team and individuals engaged in illegal dredging activities in Gonelor, Tewor Mining District, Grand Cape Mount County, leaving several enforcement officers injured, two vehicles damaged, a motorcycle confiscated, and communication equipment reportedly seized.

The incident occurred during an enforcement operation conducted by the Ministry’s Inspectorate Team in collaboration with joint security personnel as part of ongoing efforts to combat unauthorized mining and environmentally destructive dredging activities across Liberia.

According to County Mine Officer (CMO) Flomo Gamah, the operation targeted alleged illicit mining activities being conducted without valid permits or licenses and in violation of established mining laws, regulations, and operational procedures.

CMO Gamah disclosed that two dredges had already been set ablaze during the enforcement exercise, as the Ministry intensified efforts to address suspected illegal operations along the affected waterway. He cited concerns over the alleged use of mercury and other potentially hazardous chemicals, as well as the risk of river pollution associated with unregulated dredging, as key reasons for the intervention.

The County Mine Officer further reported that some of the mining operations involved foreign nationals, including Ghanaian operators, who were conducting activities without the requisite authorization. He emphasized that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring compliance with Liberia’s mining laws and protecting the country’s water bodies and other natural resources from illegal exploitation and environmental degradation.

To ensure that the Mining Law is not further compromised, the Director of Mines, Engineer Alwell Aloysius Carr, has with immediate effect, recalled the Mining Agent, D.W Isaac Robert Wonkpiah, relieving him of all his duties in the Tewor Mining District.

According to CMO Gamah, the enforcement exercise escalated into violent confrontation when hundreds of illicit miners and other individuals confronted the inspection team, resulting in injuries to several state security officers and damage to government-associated property.
Recounting the incident, Gamah intimated that members of the team were inside their vehicles when some individuals poured gasoline on one of the vehicles in what appeared to be an attempt to set it ablaze while its occupants were still inside.

Other members of the inspection team managed to escape and seek refuge at a town chief’s residence, where they remained for several hours amid continued threats. The Grand Cape Mount County Mine Officer [Gamah] further indicated that the rioters pelted the residence with stones and blocked nearby roads, preventing the team from leaving the area.

He reported that two vehicles were damaged, a motorcycle was taken away, and several pieces of communication equipment were allegedly seized during the confrontation. A deputy town chief and some members of the enforcement team were also reportedly beaten and injured.

The Ministry maintains that its enforcement activities are intended to ensure that all mining operators comply with the Minerals and Mining Law of Liberia, applicable mining regulations, and the terms and conditions of their respective mineral rights.

Unregulated dredging and the suspected use of hazardous chemicals, particularly mercury, pose potential threats to water quality, public health, aquatic ecosystems, and the livelihoods of communities that depend on local rivers and other natural resources.

The Ministry is concerned that resistance to lawful regulatory interventions could undermine national efforts to promote responsible mining, protect the environment, and ensure that mineral resources are developed within the framework of established laws. In this regard, the Ministry is calling on residents of rural communities adjacent to mining activities to desist from interfering with enforcement operations to ensure proper governance of the mining sector.

Meanwhile, Grand Cape Mount County Superintendent Folley Kiatamba has reportedly condemned the violence and stated that the law would take its course. Superintendent Kiatamba has commended the Liberia National Police detachment in Grand Cape Mount for their swift intervention into the matter and said, he supports the Police to arrest and bring before the law, all individuals that were responsible for the violent confrontation in Gonelor Town, preventing enforcement of the Mining Law.

Some arrests have been made already, confirmed by the County Mine Office of the Ministry of Mines and Energy headed by Mining Engineer Flomo Gamah who has assured commitment to remaining engaged with state security authorities to bring the rest of the rioters before the law.

This incident and others that occur in mining locations across the Country are part of the challenges the Ministry of Mines and Energy faces in enforcing the Minerals and Mining Law, the Mining Regulations and other legally established frameworks meant to ensure proper mineral sector governance.

The Ministry recognizes the importance of constructive engagement with local communities and acknowledges that concerns surrounding mining activities should be addressed through dialogue and lawful procedures. However, disagreements over mining operations must not result in assaults on public officers, threats to human life, or the destruction and unlawful seizure of properties.

The Regional Coordinator for Mining Region F which includes Grand Cape Mount County, Sylvester G. Mulbah, was among the Mines and Energy field staff caught up in the violent attacks by locals in Gonelor Town, Grand Cape Mount County.

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