As expected the Jammeh government in the West African State of the Gambia has begun unleashing the power and myth of his government on the civilian population in the Gambia. Reports reaching gainako within the last few days has it that Yahya Jammeh’s securities have started rounding up in large numbers families of the alleged coup plotters some of whom were killed and others escaped after an apparent alleged attempt to overthrow his government.
The families of Captain Sanneh, Jagne and others have been rounded up including elderly parents who know nothing about their son’s involvement in an alleged coup. After losing their love ones to an unprovoked attack by the Jammeh loyalists these parents and family members continue to live a nightmare of being detained and interrogated in solitary confinement.
The notorious NIA and security forces are allegedly going door to door and arresting anybody who has had contact with the alleged coup plotters. They reportedly got hold of the cell phones of the alleged attackers and are rounding up anybody whose phone contact is found on the contact lists. It is unconscionable for the Gambian authorities to round of innocent citizens who may have simply had a genuine communication with their family members.
Additional reports has it that senior Directors at the Gambia Port Authority where the alleged weapons were shipped through have all been rounded up and are currently in detention with the notorious National Intelligence Agency. These senior employees of the Ports Authority are being held responsible for the alleged shipment of the weapons that were discovered at the Ports Authority.
Another source close to the top security apparatus has it that Captain Abdoulie Jobe of the Gambia Army Forces training School and Captain Buba Sanneh of the GNA has both been arrested as their contact information was also found in the cell phones of Captain Sanneh the alleged ringleader. Terrified members of the security forces said that it is an all-out assault on the top security officers who may or may not have been privy to the alleged operations. The chaos has reached epic a source said and “anything could happen to anybody at anytime”.
Gambian activists and International rights activists expressed concerns that the Gambian President has used such pretext of alleged coups to eliminate his opponents. Many feared that even innocent citizens who my be innocently associated with such allegations will become victims of Jammeh’s brutal regime. The story of guilty by association is becoming tactic the regime is using to crackdown on citizens. The international community must pay close attention to the brutality this 20 years regime is willing to unleash on its citizens. The worst for the Gambian people is yet to come as Jammeh seizes this unfortunate opportunity to further strengthen his grip on power.