MONROVIA – The Boakai administration’s handling of the US$19.2 million Roberts International Airport cocaine saga is drawing an ever-widening circle of critics, and the entry of the University of Liberia-based Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP)—one of the country’s oldest and most combative student political organizations—into the fray may prove the most consequential yet. By endorsing the July 17 nationwide protest organized by Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), demanding that Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung voluntarily submit to an independent international probe, and calling for the immediate dismissal of Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, SUP has fused the country’s economic grievances with the drug scandal into a single anti-government mobilization, reviving a campus radical tradition that has historically foreshadowed broader civic unrest. THE ANALYST reports.
The Vanguard Student Unification Party announced its endorsement of the July 17 nationwide protest being organized by STAND, saying the planned demonstration represents an opportunity for Liberians to demand greater accountability, improved governance, and stronger action against the country’s worsening socioeconomic conditions.
In a press statement issued Tuesday and signed by Secretary-General David Howard Jr. and approved by Chairman Odecious Mulbah, the student movement said it was joining the protest out of what it described as a shared commitment to addressing the economic hardships confronting ordinary Liberians.
According to the party, rising prices, unemployment, weaknesses in the education and healthcare sectors, and growing public dissatisfaction have created conditions that require collective civic action. SUP argued that students’ challenges are inseparable from the broader struggles faced by workers, market women, and other citizens across the country.
The organization said its decision to support the July 17 protest is consistent with its history of mobilizing around governance and social justice issues, noting that it intends to continue its own “March for Jobs and Justice” activities later this month.
Calls on VP Koung to Submit to Probe
Beyond endorsing the protest, SUP called on Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung to voluntarily submit himself to what it described as an independent, international, and unrestricted investigation into the country’s ongoing drug trafficking controversy.
The student movement said such a step would help promote transparency and strengthen public confidence in the handling of allegations surrounding the drug crisis. It argued that any allegations involving senior public officials should be subjected to credible and impartial investigations, regardless of political office.
SUP acknowledged that publicly circulated reports and photographs linking the Vice President to individuals alleged to have connections to drug trafficking do not, on their own, establish criminal wrongdoing. However, the organization maintained that the controversy warrants an independent investigation to address public concerns and reinforce confidence in state institutions.
The student organization also emphasized that no public official should be shielded from lawful scrutiny, arguing that equal application of the law remains fundamental to democratic governance and public accountability.
Demands Coleman’s Dismissal
The statement further criticized the handling of the investigation into the reported seizure of approximately US$19.2 million worth of cocaine at Roberts International Airport.
SUP specifically called for the immediate dismissal of Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, contending that the police report on the case failed to adequately explain key aspects of the investigation, including what it described as delays in securing the cargo, the handling of evidence, and the alleged involvement of additional individuals.
According to the organization, unanswered questions surrounding the investigation have undermined public confidence in the work of the Liberia National Police and highlighted the need for what it described as an independent, impartial, and internationally supported inquiry into the narcotics case.
SUP concluded by urging citizens, civil society organizations, and other progressive groups to participate peacefully in the July 17 protest while continuing to advocate for accountability, transparency, and stronger democratic governance. It maintained that addressing the country’s governance and security challenges requires credible institutions capable of investigating allegations without fear or political interference.