Two Burkinabé nationals have been apprehended in Bong County for allegedly operating an illegal gold mining site in Gbankonah, District 4, raising serious environmental and security concerns.
The suspects, identified as 44-year-old Harouna Ouedraogo and 42-year-old Barchezu Sorie, were arrested during a joint security operation led by Bong County Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris, County Attorney Jonathan Flomo, and Police Commander Farsu V. Sheriff. Authorities confirmed that Ouedraogo resides in the Millionaire Quarter Community in Gbarnga, while Sorie lives in Bleh Village.
According to investigators, the suspects were deeply involved in unlicensed mining operations that employed toxic, unregulated chemicals. The discovery has sparked alarm among county officials, who fear significant threats to both public health and the environment.
“These chemicals being used are extremely dangerous,” Superintendent Norris warned during a press briefing in Gbarnga. “We cannot allow our environment and people to be exposed to such risks for illegal profits.”
Security forces seized a variety of mining equipment from the site, including water pumps and batteries. Preliminary chemical testing has confirmed the presence of hazardous substances used in the operation.
Police Commander Sheriff disclosed that the mining site was heavily populated with foreign nationals from Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali, many of whom lacked legal immigration documentation. One of the arrested suspects was found with a Burkinabé passport, now in the custody of the Liberia Immigration Service.
County Attorney Flomo revealed that the suspects initially claimed to be farmers but were quickly linked to a broader, organized mining network. “This is not an isolated incident. It’s a coordinated operation involving multiple individuals,” he noted.
Local authorities are now pushing for a comprehensive national investigation and calling on key institutions, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Liberia Immigration Service, and the Liberia National Police, to collaborate in tackling illegal mining activities.
The suspects remain in police custody as investigations intensify. Officials have hinted at more arrests in the coming days as the crackdown continues across Bong County.
