NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – Joseph N. Boakai, Jr., son of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has publicly broken his silence over allegations linking him to narcotics trafficking, strongly denying any involvement in the illegal drug trade and calling for a full, impartial and evidence-based investigation into the matter.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
In a lengthy public statement, Boakai Jr. said the allegations had reached a point where he could no longer remain silent because his name had become associated with an issue of significant national concern.
The President’s son said Liberia is facing a serious narcotics problem that requires citizens, regardless of political affiliation or social status, to support efforts to identify, prosecute and bring those responsible to justice.
He stressed that the fight against narcotics must rise above politics and personalities, while urging Liberia’s security institutions to remain firm in confronting the drug trade. According to him, the country’s security agencies are operating under difficult circumstances but must continue their work without fear or favor.
Boakai Jr. said that for approximately three years, he deliberately avoided responding to what he described as numerous allegations, accusations and false narratives involving him. He explained that he chose silence because he did not want to become a distraction to the government, while also focusing on his family, businesses and personal responsibilities.
However, he said the latest allegations compelled him to speak because they concern narcotics, an issue he considers particularly serious given the devastating impact of drug abuse on Liberian communities.
Says He Distanced Himself From Government
A major part of Boakai Jr.’s defense centers on his claim that he deliberately separated himself from the day-to-day operations of government after his father was elected President.
He said that at the beginning of 2024, he made a conscious decision to distance himself from government affairs to ensure that public officials could perform their responsibilities independently without accusations that he was exercising influence because of his relationship with the President.
“I have never held myself out as a government official,” he said, emphasizing that his connection to the Presidency is based on family rather than constitutional authority.
He cited his former association with the Liberia Maritime Authority as an example, saying that he visited the institution only once after the elections, primarily to appreciate staff with whom he had previously worked.
He said he subsequently stayed away to allow the leadership of the institution to operate independently.
Despite that decision, Boakai Jr. said his name continued to be linked to government institutions, contracts and decisions with which he claims to have had no involvement.
Rejects Alleged Connection to Narcotics Trafficking
Addressing the drug allegations directly, Boakai Jr. said he has consistently opposed narcotics trafficking and would not protect anyone in his circle who is found to be involved in the illegal drug trade.
He said he has repeatedly told friends that if he ever became aware that someone close to him was engaged in drug trafficking or another narcotics-related criminal enterprise, he would provide whatever information he possessed to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency and the Liberia National Police.
“No friendship, no business opportunity, no family connection, and no personal relationship is more important than Liberia’s future,” he stated.
He described drug abuse as a growing threat to Liberia, pointing to the impact of addiction on young people and families.
According to President Boakai’s son, individuals who profit from the destruction caused by narcotics commit a serious offense against the country.
Says Threatening WhatsApp Message Triggered Allegations
Boakai Jr. also provided his account of how the latest allegations emerged.
According to him, he discovered several days ago that a WhatsApp message had been sent to his phone at approximately 3 a.m. from a number identified as originating from Colombia.
He said the message accused him of involvement in narcotics trafficking and contained threats directed against him.
Boakai Jr. said he initially believed the message was an attempt to manufacture a false association between him and criminal activity. He said he responded to the sender, rejected the allegation, blocked the number, took a screenshot of the exchange and shared the material with both the Liberia National Police and the National Security Agency.
He said the following day, a video surfaced online displaying his WhatsApp profile picture, telephone number and the threatening message.
But according to Boakai Jr., the video deliberately excluded his response to the message, including his rejection of the allegations.
He argued that the omission changed the impression the video was designed to create, suggesting that viewers were presented with only part of the exchange.
Explains Relationship With Ibrahima Touré
Boakai Jr. also addressed public speculation surrounding his relationship with Ibrahima Touré, whose photograph, he said, appeared alongside his own in the online video.
He said he immediately informed the Director General of the National Security Agency that he knew Touré and explained how the two had met.
According to Boakai Jr., he was introduced to Touré earlier this year through Habib Sheriff, a young Liberian who had returned from the United States and was exploring legitimate business opportunities.
He said his discussions with Touré initially focused on sports development and a proposed visit to the Real Madrid Foundation.
Boakai Jr. maintained that he made clear from the beginning that he was not a government official and could not represent the Liberian Government or make commitments on its behalf.
For that reason, he said, he recommended that appropriate government officials participate in any official discussions.
He subsequently traveled with the Minister of Youth and Sports and the Liberian Ambassador to France, where, according to his account, three meetings were held with representatives of the Real Madrid Foundation and companies involved in medical technology and telemedicine.
Those companies, he said, expressed interest in exploring opportunities that could support healthcare delivery in Liberia.
Says No Illegal Business Was Concluded
Boakai Jr. said that after returning to Liberia in May, discussions continued concerning possible private commercial ventures in hospitality and food services.
However, he emphasized that the conversations remained at the discussion stage and that nothing had been concluded.
He further denied that Touré or Habib Sheriff ever asked him to facilitate illegal activities or use his family name and perceived influence to obtain government favors.
“At no point did Mr. Touré ask me to facilitate anything illegal,” he said, making a similar denial concerning Sheriff.
Addresses Friendship With Mark Kuiah
Boakai Jr. described Kuiah as a longtime friend who, he said, has relationships with people from across Liberia’s political and social spectrum.
Boakai Jr. said he had never been given a reason to believe that Kuiah was anything other than law-abiding.
At the same time, he acknowledged that friendship should not provide protection from prosecution if a person is found to have violated the law.
“If any friend of mine is found to have violated the laws of this Republic, that person must answer before the law like every other citizen,” he said.
He added that he would not interfere with any legal process, but also rejected what he described as the practice of falsely accusing people simply to satisfy public opinion.
Demands Evidence, Due Process
A central theme of Boakai Jr.’s statement was his insistence that allegations must be tested through evidence and due process rather than social media speculation.
He repeatedly emphasized that justice requires evidence, due process and fairness.
He said he would not speculate about what other people may have done or known, and would not invent stories or make accusations that he could not support with evidence.
Instead, he said he would limit himself to what he personally knows.
Boakai Jr. then issued a series of categorical denials, stating that he has never participated in discussions involving narcotics trafficking, never facilitated illegal drug activity, never accepted money in exchange for influence and never used his relationship with the Presidency to shield anyone from accountability.
Welcomes Investigation
Despite denying the allegations, Boakai Jr. said he is prepared to cooperate fully with any legitimate investigation.
He specifically named the Liberia National Police, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency and the National Security Agency, saying that if any of those institutions or another competent authority requires his cooperation, he will provide it.
“I have nothing to hide,” he declared.
He said the current controversy should ultimately strengthen, rather than weaken, the determination of Liberia’s security institutions to dismantle networks involved in bringing narcotics into the country.
According to him, the identities or political connections of individuals involved should not determine how the law is applied.
Says Presidential Relationship Comes With Greater Scrutiny
Boakai Jr. acknowledged that being the President’s son places him under greater public scrutiny.
He said he understands that public trust must be earned and accepts the additional responsibility that comes with his family relationship to the Presidency.
But he appealed to the public to ensure that scrutiny is based on facts and evidence rather than assumptions and rumors.
“If anyone believes they possess credible evidence that I have committed any crime,” he said, they should present that evidence to the appropriate authorities rather than relying on social media.
He called on Liberia’s institutions to determine the facts and administer justice, stressing that this is the proper way to preserve the rule of law.
Appeals to Young Liberians
In the final portion of his statement, Boakai Jr. shifted his attention to Liberia’s young people, warning that the country’s future is at stake in the fight against narcotics.
He said the responsibility for combating drug abuse does not rest solely with government or security institutions but also belongs to families, communities, religious organizations, educators and individual citizens.
He urged Liberians to reject individuals who profit from the destruction caused by narcotics and to support security institutions pursuing those responsible.
Boakai Jr. concluded by saying that he would return the matter to the institutions responsible for establishing the facts and administering justice.
He said he would continue pursuing legitimate business opportunities, supporting initiatives aimed at creating opportunities for young Liberians and respecting Liberia’s institutions.
He also reiterated his belief that no one, including the son of a sitting President, should be above the law.
“Let the institutions of our Republic determine the facts,” he said, calling for those institutions to work “without fear, without favor, and without political influence.”
The statement marks Boakai Jr.’s most extensive public response to the narcotics-related allegations and places the matter squarely before Liberia’s security and justice institutions, which he says should be allowed to establish the facts through a full and impartial investigation.
