‘SEGAL Not Responsible For Cargo Inspection’ -Sen Cyrus Denies SEGAL Drug Case Involvement

MONROVIA – Senator Momo Tarnuekollie Cyrus of Lofa County has categorically rejected allegations linking him and SEGAL Incorporated to Liberia’s drug case. SEGAL holds a contract with GLS Menzies, the cargo company at the center of the Roberts International Airport (RIA) cocaine seizure. Cyrus’s office insists SEGAL’s mandate covers only external perimeter control, with no role in cargo, customs, or narcotics enforcement. Cyrus co-founded SEGAL in 2006 but relinquished all management involvement upon taking public office. He chairs the Senate security committee and co-chairs the Senate Committee of the Whole overseeing the drug investigation. His standing as SEGAL co-founder and security oversight chairman raises questions that no simple denial alone can fully resolve. THE ANALYST reports.

The Office of Senator Momo Tarnuekollie Cyrus has categorically dismissed allegations linking the Lofa County senator and SEGAL Incorporated to Liberia’s ongoing investigation into the seizure of narcotics valued at approximately US$19 million (L$3.46 billion), describing the claims as misleading, politically motivated, and unsupported by established facts.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the senator’s office said recent media reports and public commentary attempting to associate Cyrus with the investigation solely because of SEGAL’s contractual relationship with airport ground handling company GLS Menzies present a distorted picture of the facts.

The statement stressed that Cyrus formally relinquished his executive role at SEGAL Incorporated immediately after assuming public office and has had no involvement in the company’s management or daily operations since then.

Although acknowledging that Cyrus co-founded SEGAL in 2006, the office emphasized that the company has since evolved into an independently managed security services provider with its own leadership and corporate governance structure.

SEGAL’s airport role defined

According to the statement, SEGAL has spent nearly two decades providing integrated security services to government institutions, diplomatic missions, international organizations, commercial enterprises, non-governmental organizations, mining companies, marine operators, and other private sector clients across Liberia.

Seeking to clarify the company’s involvement at Roberts International Airport (RIA), the office stated that SEGAL’s contractual responsibilities under GLS Menzies are strictly confined to perimeter security and access control.

The statement explained that SEGAL personnel secure designated external areas, regulate access to authorized locations, conduct routine patrols, and protect facilities against unauthorized intrusion.

Those responsibilities, the statement argued, are entirely separate from the statutory mandates of agencies responsible for customs administration, aviation security, immigration control, narcotics enforcement, cargo inspection, and criminal investigations.

The office further emphasized that SEGAL neither inspects cargo nor shipping documents, operates cargo scanners, examines freight containers, clears imports or exports, supervises customs procedures, conducts narcotics detection, nor directs airport intelligence and criminal investigations.

It argued that holding a perimeter security contractor responsible for alleged criminal activities involving a client or third party reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the company’s legal obligations and operational scope.

Statement warns against politicizing probe

The statement accused some individuals of attempting to politicize the investigation by promoting narratives unsupported by verified evidence. According to the office, such speculation risks diverting attention from what it described as the primary objective of the investigation — identifying and prosecuting every individual or institution found through credible evidence to have participated in the alleged international drug trafficking network.

While reaffirming Cyrus’ respect for press freedom, the statement urged journalists and media institutions to exercise fairness, professional diligence, and factual accuracy when reporting on matters of significant national importance.

Highlighting Cyrus’ more than 25 years of experience in Liberia’s security sector, the office described his public service as one rooted in professionalism, institutional accountability, and unwavering respect for the rule of law.

It noted that, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, Intelligence, Security and Veteran Affairs, Cyrus has consistently advocated stronger legislative oversight of Liberia’s security institutions and increased accountability in combating transnational organized crime, including narcotics trafficking.

The statement reiterated the senator’s longstanding position that no person or institution should be shielded from investigation, maintaining that anyone implicated through credible evidence must be subjected to a thorough, impartial, and transparent legal process.

It also noted that Cyrus currently serves alongside Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence as Co-Chair of the Senate Committee of the Whole overseeing legislative scrutiny of issues relating to the ongoing investigation. The office further maintained that Cyrus has neither directly nor indirectly interfered with the investigation and “has absolutely nothing to hide.”

Cyrus reaffirms commitment to justice

Concluding the statement, the office reaffirmed Cyrus’ commitment to supporting law enforcement agencies in their efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks while ensuring that investigations are conducted in accordance with due process, transparency, and the rule of law.

“The fight against drug trafficking is larger than any individual, institution or political interest,” the statement declared. “Only professional investigations, credible evidence and independent institutions can deliver justice and strengthen public confidence in Liberia’s security and judicial systems.”

The statement comes amid heightened national debate following the seizure of approximately US$19 million worth of cocaine at RIA, one of Liberia’s largest narcotics interceptions in recent years. The investigation has attracted intense public and political attention, with lawmakers, civil society organizations, and international partners calling for a transparent inquiry to identify all individuals and institutions connected to the shipment.

The Senate has already convened several hearings on the matter, summoning leaders of the Joint Security, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), airport authorities, and other government institutions to account for the circumstances surrounding the shipment and the progress of the investigation.