The appearance of images of the National Fula Security of Liberia (NFSL) on social media has sparked a heated controversy at the highest levels of government. Suspected of being an ethnic militia, the group is now in the crosshairs of Liberian authorities, in a country where memories of the civil war remain vivid.

An emergency parliamentary summons

Faced with growing concern, the House of Representatives summoned the highest-ranking national security officials on Monday, February 23:

1. The Minister of Justice;
2. The director of the National Security Agency (NSA);
3. The Inspector General of Police.

The objective is clear: to determine how such an organization was able to operate and to assess the risk it represents to the stability of the country.

Between private security and suspicions of a militia

The case began with a video showing men in uniform, adopting a military posture. While members of the NFSL claim to be acting as a private security agency, the public and the press see it as the beginnings of an ethnically based paramilitary force .

The State's reaction: The Ministry of Justice ordered the immediate cessation of all the group's activities, recalling that the use of force and the organization of security are sovereign prerogatives that are strictly regulated.

The defense of the Fulani community

For their part, the organization's leaders claim it was a misunderstanding. According to Alimu Sow, a Liberian blogger interviewed by RFI, the group is neither new nor belligerent:

1. Origin: Created in 2009.
2. Mission: To protect worshippers from theft and assault during Ramadan night prayers.
3. Dispute over the images: What has been interpreted as military training is, according to them, merely a simple training workshop.

The stakes of the investigation

Monday's hearing will have to answer three essential questions:

1. Legality: Does the group have a legal existence?
2. Scope: How many members does this organization actually have?
3. Flaws: Why didn't the intelligence services alert the government earlier?