MONROVIA, Montserrado – The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia has issued a demonstration alert for its citizens residing in the country.

The embassy’s decision comes amid a planned demonstration to be staged by a group known as the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia. EFFL’s protest is scheduled to take place outside the U.S. Embassy on Benson Street on Monday, September 24.

The group issued a press statement on Thursday, September 20, asking all businesses, schools, and other entities to close on the day of the demonstration.

“Parents or guardians should keep their children home taking into consideration the national security implications,” the group requested.

The EFFL said it was declaring a “national state of emergency” in response to the investigation over the allegedly missing L$16 billion.

The group called on its members to assemble on Benson Street around the U.S. embassy during the early morning of September 24 along with other civil society organizations to parade along the streets of Monrovia and assemble at the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions on Carey Street.

According to the EFFL, the parade will be led by the group’s leader, Emmanuel Gonquoi.

Emmanuel Gonquoi, head of the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia. Photo: Zeze Ballah

EFFL also said it has encouraged other Liberians to join the struggle in the search of missing L$16 billion: “The EFFL calls on all Liberians to begin having consultations with each other as we prepared to officially announce the EFFL protest day.”

The American embassy has advised U.S. government personnel to avoid areas of the demonstration and exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.

Since news emerged on September 13 of missing billions of dollars in printed Liberian banknotes, the government has still not provided details explaining the situation to the public.

Government officials have been giving contradictory accounts and the figure of the allegedly missing amount has shifted from L$9 billion to L$16 billion. The figure was again revised to L$15 billion by Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, who blamed the media for distorting the number.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah