Pennsylvania, USA – A 24-hour ultimatum issued by a Colombian drug cartel, featured in a viral Facebook video, is set to expire today amid reports of a manhunt for Joseph Boakai Jr., known as “JoJo,” the son of Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.
The video, verified by Liberian cybersecurity experts, links the ultimatum to recent major drug seizures in Liberia. The cartel demands the immediate release of confiscated narcotics and two detained suspects – one holding Spanish-Colombian dual nationality and another a Serbian passport claiming that JoJo Boakai betrayed them. According to the cartel, they paid him millions of U.S. dollars in bribes to guarantee protection for their drug operations on Liberian soil, but he failed to deliver, resulting in the seizures and arrests.
Liberian authorities recently seized approximately 3,971 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $317 million, in Duazon, east of Monrovia, according to Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman. In a separate operation last month, 237.6 kilograms of cocaine worth over $19 million and falsely declared as Maggi cubes destined for Europe was intercepted at Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Monrovia.
Joseph Boakai Jr. has long been accused of functioning as Liberia’s de facto prime minister, allegedly leveraging his influence for personal enrichment. He faces repeated allegations of selling government appointments to the highest bidder, without public denial. Currently, he reportedly earns millions as a liaison officer for Bea Mountain Mining Company in Grand Cape Mount County a company criticized for exploiting Liberia’s mineral wealth and deploying state security forces to violently suppress marginalized workers protesting poor conditions. Additionally, Boakai Jr. is known for frequent global travel via private jet, often accompanied by teenage girls.
This is not the first time President Boakai’s children have faced drug-related accusations. In October 2025, his son Tamba Boakai, alias “Tantan,” was alleged to have participated in lavish orgies and parties in the Maldives with hired escorts, while Liberians endure severe poverty. He has also been accused of using his privileged position to traffic dangerous substances, contributing to widespread addiction among disadvantaged Liberian youth.
Leaked social media posts and videos, confirmed by international outlets, appear to show Tantan indulging in opulent festivities at a Maldives resort featuring champagne and private villas costing thousands per night sparking outrage at home, where most citizens struggle to afford even one daily meal.
“While we suffer here, the president’s son squanders our money on women and alcohol overseas,” said Emmanuel Johnson, a former Boakai supporter and unemployed graduate in Monrovia. “We voted for change, for ‘Rescue,’ but we’re drowning. They have only rescued themselves.” The ostentatious display contrasts with the reality of surging living costs, unaffordable food and fuel, a UNICEF-reported education crisis with over 40% of school-aged children dropping out, rampant youth unemployment, and unreliable, expensive electricity for the few connected to the national grid.
Further fueling anger are grave allegations that Tantan is a key player in Liberia’s drug trade, specifically accused of importing and distributing a lethal synthetic substance known locally as “Spike and Die” a chemical cocktail linked to hundreds of overdoses and deaths among young people. “Tantan Boakai is not just a reckless playboy; he is allegedly a drug baron poisoning our future,” declared an anti-drug activist. “He acts with impunity, shielded by his name, while poor children perish in the streets. This is the ultimate betrayal.”
The perception of a detached ruling elite is reinforced by President Boakai’s own lifestyle. Despite leading a nation in crisis, he has faced criticism for using private jets, purchasing a $2 million armored Lexus SUV, and constructing a $10 million mansion in his hometown of Foya, Lofa County. Critics argue such expenditures, amid appeals for international aid and austerity measures, insult struggling Liberians.
“The message from the Executive Mansion is clear: one rule for the Boakai family and their circle, another for the rest of us,” said a political analyst. “Endemic corruption and rising crime stem from this culture of impunity at the top. The President flies high, his son parties in paradise, and the people they swore to serve are left to rot in darkness.” Attempts to reach Joseph Boakai Jr. for comment were unsuccessful.