By Emma Black
The Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Honourable Gregory O. W. Coleman, on Monday, 1st December 2025, formally welcomed a delegation from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) at the LNP Headquarters in Monrovia. The visit forms part of continuing efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation and tackle transnational organised crime across the Mano River Union Basin.
In his opening remarks, IGP Coleman stressed the growing need for sustained regional collaboration, particularly as terrorism and organised criminal syndicates increasingly exploit security gaps across West Africa. Coordinated action between neighbouring countries, he noted, is crucial to safeguarding stability in the sub-region.
He recalled earlier engagements in Sierra Leone, where he and Sierra Leone’s Inspector General of Police, Mr William Fayia Sellu, briefed His Excellency Rtd Brigadier Julius Maada Bio on the proposal to establish a Police Chiefs’ Committee within the Mano River Union. He described the SLP delegation’s visit as a strong demonstration of both nations’ commitment to implementing the communiqué jointly signed by their Police Chiefs to advance intelligence-sharing and strengthen border security cooperation.
Responding on behalf of the SLP, AIG Dr John Martin Senesie reaffirmed the delegation’s commitment to the communiqué, emphasising that the visit reflects the shared resolve of both Police Chiefs to deepen joint border operations and improve security coordination. He added that the historical bonds between Sierra Leone and Liberia make such collaboration both strategic and essential for effective policing.
Additional contributions were made by AIG Brima Kanneh and AIG Andrew Mustapha Kamara, who highlighted the value of shared learning, professional exchanges, and operational collaboration in reinforcing security across the two sister nations.
IGP Coleman conveyed warm fraternal greetings to Sierra Leone’s IGP Sellu, who also chairs the West Africa Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO). He urged his senior management team to engage fully with their Sierra Leonean counterparts, noting that Liberia is currently developing a four-year strategic policing plan and stands to benefit from Sierra Leone’s successful transition from a “force” to a “service”. He symbolically remarked that the SLP had been handed “the key to Monrovia”, signalling Liberia’s readiness for deeper engagement and collective capacity-building.
The visit continued with a guided tour of key units at the LNP Headquarters, including the Operational Control Room, Broadcasting Unit, Formed Police Unit, Traffic Division, and Emergency Response Unit.
Senior officials from both institutions shared insights and best practices, reaffirming their joint commitment to fully operationalising the bilateral security agreement.
The day ended with renewed assurances from both sides that cooperation between the SLP and LNP will continue to expand, strengthening peace, security, and regional stability within the Mano River Union and the wider ECOWAS region.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 3th December 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
