By our embedded Military reporter
A heavy Military presence in Brikama armed with AK47 rifles and other Military Gears as part of GAF Recruits intakes exercise has caused panic among the residents on Friday August 16, 2013. The Soldiers were spotted at the Brikama NAWEC Headquarters just opposite the President’s Farato Farm receiving instructions from their instructors as part of the training exercise confirmed by Gainako’s embedded reporter. The new intakes were seen holding a white sheets of papers and was told by one of the instructors that their mission is to train the new intakes on skills relating to Military tactics noting that “we are on these exercise in order to equip the new comers in the service,” he said.
He noted that the training is in line with the GAF’s rules and regulations saying that our presence with heavy guns should not bore the people or frighten them as we are just doing our job as Soldiers. One officer who spoke about the impact of the event noted that some of the officers and instructors were in other parts of Brikama which is all geared towards the exercise. He said that the civilian population should go about their business and not worry about the event. That this was a normal exercise the military engages in every now and then.
As our reporter continue to gather first hand info on the said training exercise, he saw other recruits with their instructors at the Brikama Livestock Market as others were receiving instructions whiles others went around the Market. A senior officer on the ground would not give any further details on what prompted them to be scattered all over as they were crisscrossing the entire Town. It was strange that the military exercise was not concentrated around the military barracks but rather centered around the market where civilians saw guns that caused some alarm.
One Lamin Sanneh a resident of Brikama said that they were very worried with the high presence of the Military without prior warnings. He said that anytime civilians see military people with guns they tend to be concerned about what is going on. He hopes that this is just an exercise but express concerns that the civilian needs to be warned of such events to avoid public panic. Sanneh noted that most of the people did not know about the exercise explaining that a thing of such a nature could be worrying.
Amie Njie another resident stated that it is common for the GAF to conduct such trainings but this time around, this one is a different one because the way it is conducted is different from previous ones she has seen. “I am urging them to conduct their training at the late Lance Corporal Lamin Bojang’s Firing Range in order to avoid scaring the local population.
The Soldiers who continue their exercise at night were seen patrolling on the streets of the main Trans-Gambia Highway and other places in Brikama prompting some people to remain in doors as they said it is not clear to them what is warranting the GAF to conduct such training around civilian population.
Gainako reporter confirmed Saturday August 17, 2013 that indeed there is training exercise at the Late Lance Corporal Lamin Bojang Firing Range along the Jallabang Brikama Highway as scores of Soldiers were seen embarking on the exercise. However, as Gambia is still a semi military state by virtue of the fact that military officers can still be seen at check points with guns, anytime there is large presence of military it tend scare the population. The people are just not used to seeing a lot of guns around them.