Published: February 6, 2026
Gbarnga, Bong County — Residents of the Brooklyn Community on the outskirts of Gbarnga say they were detained after objecting to the daily use of their only hand pump by inmates from the nearby Gbarnga Central Prison, raising concerns about public safety, access to water and accountability by prison authorities.
Two residents, Sianneh Flomo and Cecelia Pewee, told this outlet they were held for nearly a day after protesting the continued escort of inmates into the community to fetch water.
“We did not fight anyone,” Flomo said. “We only said the inmates should not be coming here for water. This is our only hand pump, and we are afraid.”
Pewee said their detention followed repeated complaints to prison officials after all four hand pumps inside the prison collapsed in January.
“Instead of fixing their pumps, they bring inmates into our community every day,” she said. “When we spoke out, we were detained.”
The dispute stems from a water crisis at the prison after internal hand pumps reportedly broke down, leaving the facility without an internal water supply. Prison authorities began escorting inmates under armed supervision to the Brooklyn Community hand pump to collect water for drinking and basic use.
Residents say the arrangement has strained their limited water access and heightened fear.
“We already struggle to get water,” one resident said, requesting anonymity. “Now dozens of inmates come daily. It puts fear in the community.”
Community Advisor Fedrick Wales confirmed the regular presence of inmates in the neighborhood.
“Come around 4 p.m. and you will see inmates here,” Wales said. “We raised concerns, but nobody listened. This situation is dangerous.”
Residents say the hand pump was constructed by the International Committee of the Red Cross for community use. Prison officials have disputed that claim, saying the pump was built with government funds, though no documentation has been publicly produced to support either assertion.
The disagreement has deepened tensions, with residents insisting the facility was never intended to supply water to a correctional center.
Prison authorities have acknowledged the water shortage but have not publicly responded to allegations that residents were detained after protesting. They have also declined to provide a timeline for repairing the broken pumps, saying only that “measures are being taken.”
Bong County Administrative Officer Sam Elliott said the county administration had not been formally informed of either the pump failure or the alleged detentions.
“I am hearing this from you as a journalist,” Elliott said. “If this had come to us earlier, we would have acted.”
Elliott criticized the practice of escorting inmates into a residential community for water, citing security risks and public unease, and said he intends to engage prison authorities and brief Bong County Superintendent Hawa Norris for possible intervention.
Human rights and community advocates say the dispute underscores deeper challenges within Liberia’s correctional system, including overcrowding, poor maintenance and inadequate access to basic services.
Until the prison’s water system is repaired, Brooklyn Community residents say they fear further confrontations—and possible detentions—as they try to protect their only water source.
“This is not just about water,” Pewee said. “It is about our safety and our rights as a community.”
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