Of Sidia And Samba Brouhaha!

The physical mistreatment of a prominent Gambian business magnate in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Saturday has left more questions than answers, with many whys still not being answered.

Amadou Samba, a staunch ally of President Yahya Jammeh, was manhandled by private security officers of Sidia Bayo, the founder of the Gambia transition government abroad. Mr. Bayo, a French citizen of Gambian origin, has been frequently traveling to Dakar.

Mr. Samba, a lawyer-turned-businessman, was seen appearing like a screaming person while being dragged by men dressed in black. Details of the altercation which was borne out of suspicion that Mr. Samba was a mission to spy on Mr. Bayo’s in Radission Bleu Hotel in Dakar are still murky.

The mere presence of a close ally of President Jammeh in a hotel that usually houses Gambian dissidents in Senegal has also raised some eyebrows. Sources alleged that the brouhaha started when Mr. Samba was identified roaming out and about in the hotel and also giving cash to an unidentified Guinean. This heightened fear in the hotel, resulting to Mr. Samba’s confrontation by Sidia Bayo’s security officers. Later images of Mr. Sambia being carried out by men were tossed on the social media.

This latest incident came on the heels of reported plots of kidnappings and disappearances of Gambians in Senegal by Gambian security. Remember that both Mahawa Cham and Saul Ndow, Gambian dissidents in Senegal, are still unaccounted for after they were reportedly abducted by Gambian security officers.

Kairo News is doing its best to ascertain whether Mr. Samba is on a private visit to Dakar and what happens after the physical altercation took place. Of concern to some people is whether a prominent Gambian deserves such an awful treatment in another country. We leave that to the courts to decide.

Ends