When President Joseph Nyuma Boakai stood before the nation in mid-2026, Liberia was reeling. In the span of five weeks, security forces had intercepted two of the largest cocaine shipments in the country’s history: 238 kilograms hidden in seasoning-cube cargo at Roberts International Airport in June, and nearly four metric tons worth an estimated $300 million in Duazon in July. The scale of the seizures forced the government into crisis mode. Boakai’s response was swift and public. He told Liberians there would be “no selective justice, political protection, sacred cows.” Within days, his administration dismissed and suspended more than a dozen officials. The list included senior figures at Roberts International Airport, a police commissioner overseeing criminal investigations and Interpol liaison work, and a deputy director at the National Security Agency. Two police officers were also fired over allegations they used government vehicles to move narcotics across Bomi Highway. In a move that signaled the dragnet would reach the highest levels, authorities arrested and charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with unlicensed importation, solicitation, and conspiracy. The administration insisted the case was “strictly a matter of law enforcement” and not political retaliation. But 132 days later, the promise of equal accountability is being tested in the court of public opinion. On talk radio in Monrovia, in newspaper columns, and across social media, one question keeps resurfacing: is justice being applied to everyone, or only to some? The answer depends on where you look. What is verified is clear. The drug busts happened. The dismissals happened. The arrest and prosecution of a former vice president happened. What is disputed is the process that follows. The president’s own household has not escaped scrutiny. In late July, a viral video sought to link Boakai’s son, Joseph Boakai Jr., to an alleged cartel. He denied the claims and invited investigators to present evidence. Government officials have also rejected any link between the president’s son and the seizures. Yet there has been no arrest, no charge, and no independent report clearing him. For critics, “denial is not investigation,” and the absence of visible due process fuels the perception of a double standard. Civil society has been the loudest voice pushing for more. The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia, WONGOSOL, praised the dismissals but warned that “administrative removals alone will not upend the criminal networks threatening Liberia’s security.” Executive Director Esther S. Davis Yango said the firings must be the beginning, not the end, and called for full prosecutions. As of August 2026, charge sheets and court dockets for most of the dismissed airport, NSA, and LNP officials have not been made public. The same credibility gap extends to legacy cases. In his first cabinet meeting of 2026, Boakai ordered investigations into “mysterious deaths, including the missing boys and the deaths of auditors.” Six months on, there have been few updates and no indictments. Supporters say Boakai has done more than any recent government to confront drug trafficking and hold powerful people to account. Critics say personnel changes are being confused with justice, and that without transparent prosecutions and independent oversight, the “no sacred cows” pledge remains a slogan, not a reality. As Liberia enters the next 90 days, the administration faces a choice: release the evidence of equal justice in courtrooms, or continue to make it in press conferences.
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