Claim: "Liberian authorities have deported more than 62 Burkinabe nationals who were found living and farming illegally in a forest concession area in Konobo District, Grand Gedeh County." The operation was carried out jointly by the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS).
Full Text: On May 23, 2025, Verity Online News published a story claiming that over 60 Burkinabe nationals (citizens of Burkina Faso) were deported by Liberian authorities for illegal farming in Grand Gedeh County's forest concession areas.
The story gained significant attention on social media, receiving over 190 reactions, 190 comments, and 40 shares. Comments ranged from criticism of authorities for "deporting fellow Africans while ignoring Chinese and other foreign nationals" to support for enforcing immigration laws. Several other online platforms also shared the story, amplifying its reach across social media. The information can also be found here, here, and here.
When Liberia emerged from its civil war in 2003, one of the first major acts of its national legislature was to reform the laws that governed logging and forestry in the small West African country. Illicit logging had played a critical role in prolonging the bloody conflict.
National Forestry Reform Law of 2006 (NFRL 2006) is the current legal instrument that guides the management of forest resources in Liberia. This Act makes provision, in 23 Chapters, for the management and conservation of forest resources in Liberia, defines ownership rights and other rights in forests, regulates commercial and other use of forest resources, and provides for the protection of the environment and wildlife in forests.
The law faces implementation challenges. Civil society groups are calling for tougher penalties against the companies involved, which they say appear to be happy risking modest fines against greater profits from illegal logging.
Key Regulatory Bodies
Forestry Development Authority (FDA) - established by law in 1976 and given the power to sustainably manage Liberia's forest and its resources.
Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) - handles immigration-related aspects of illegal activities by foreign nationals
Legal Approach
The 2006 law is based on the "3Cs" approach: Commercial, Community, and Conservation forestry, which governs how forest lands can be legally used.
Forest Use Permit (FUP): a license issued for small scale forest exploitation (and limited to local use), research, NTFP activities or other special uses on an area of less than 1'000 ha, and without a concession process for a value of less than 10'000 USD; Private Use Permit (PUP): a license that is issued to private land owners (individual, group, community) to extract wood to enter into contracts directly with logging companies legal framework for forest management and timber trade of Liberia.
Verification: To verify this claim, we contacted the official spokesperson of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), Laurie Massaquoi-Page. She categorically denied the deportation claims, calling them "false and misleading."
According to LIS spokesperson Massaquoi-Page:
No deportations occurred: "That information is false and misleading and has no iota of truth. We have not deported any Burkinabe."
Registration, not deportation: "What we are into is a nationwide registration for Burkinabes, which is meant to document and know the total number of Burkinabes in Liberia due to the growing numbers and concerns of them residing in Liberia."
Current process: The nationwide registration for Burkinabe nationals is currently taking place in five counties in the Southeast.
Legal Process Clarification
The LIS spokesperson emphasized that deportation follows a specific legal process: "The process for deportation is a law process; it does not just happen like that. You have to follow the steps of deportation; one has to be charged and convicted before you deport."
A member of our team also contacted Verity on their publication, but they are yet to respond; when they do, this article will be updated.
Conclusion: Based on official confirmation from the Liberia Immigration Service, the claims about deporting over 60 Burkinabe nationals are false. What is occurring is a nationwide registration exercise to document Burkinabe nationals living in Liberia, not deportations. The story appears to have confused a legitimate registration process with deportation actions, leading to widespread misinformation on social media.
