Published: October 16, 2024
GANTA — The skeletal remains of a 37-year-old man, who had been missing since September 2, have been discovered in Gbao Zontuo town, sparking panic among residents of the town and surrounding areas.
Elijah Webster Blaye was last seen on September 2 after he, along with family members and the Town Chief of Gbao Toplay, his hometown, went to reconcile with his longtime girlfriend who resides in Gbao Zontuo following a two-year separation.
Blaye, who had been living in Ganta since the fallout, had not been in communication with his girlfriend or his four-year-old son until September 1 when he took his family to Gbao Zontuo to seek forgiveness.
According to a source from the town, the family gathering ended on the night of September 1, and everyone returned to their respective destinations except Blaye, who stayed overnight at a friend’s home since his girlfriend did not allow him to stay in her room.
On the morning of September 2, Blaye went to his girlfriend’s home but was told she had gone to the market day in Bahn, a nearby town. Blaye and his son then went to a phone charging booth in the town. After handing his son the phone ticket, Blaye set off for a walk along the outskirts of the town.
When he did not return by evening, concern grew, prompting a search order by the Town Chief. Efforts to find Blaye were unsuccessful until his remains were discovered in Weh Creek, a small creek that lies between Gbao Zontuo and Gbao Toplay. The discovery was made after more than a month of frantic search efforts by locals and national security officers.
Family members identified the remains by the clothes and confirmed it was Blaye. The remains were immediately buried based on the family’s consent.
The community, now living in fear, has called on the government to investigate the cause of death of a man they say was well-known in the town due to his frequent visits before the discord with his girlfriend.
Blaye hailed from a town very close to where he was allegedly murdered.
Gbao Zontuo, located in Gbao Chiefdom, Zoe-Geh Administrative District in Nimba County, has seen a series of mysterious deaths. In 2017, a 10-year-old girl was raped and killed by three men who were later arrested and prosecuted, while about two motorcyclists were allegedly murdered by unknown assailants in recent years.
With the ongoing wave of mysterious deaths, it remains uncertain whether the Seventh-day Adventist Church will consider renovating the Zontuo Mission School facilities for possible operations. The school was a hub of academic and vocational learning prior to the Liberian civil war, which severely damaged the country’s infrastructure.
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