Retired General Daniel Ziankahn has served as Minister of Defense under President George Weah and now acts as an advisor to President Joseph Boakai. His appointment comes at a defining moment for the country’s anti-drug campaign – one marked by record cocaine seizures and allegations that drug cartels have infiltrated national security institutions.
A series of social media posts published by a prominent activist said the acting head of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Fitzgerald Biago, had received a pickup truck from individuals suspected of being affiliated with the drug trade. Biago denies the claim.
Rather than selecting another career drug enforcement officer, some analysts say Boakai’s decision to entrust the agency to one of the country’s most experienced military minds suggests that the administration now views narcotics trafficking not merely as a law enforcement problem, but as a national security emergency.
