The three soldiers who set the APRC Kanifing bureau on fire have returned home. The soldiers, whose identity cannot be disclosed now, have explained the motive of their action.
It all started in September last year when the State Guard soldiers became privy to former President Yahya Jammeh’s evil plot to steal the Gambia’s December 1st election. It was right in their presence that the Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council Yankuba Colley presented a bag full of illegally registered voters cards amounting to over 300,000 (perhaps the figure Jammeh kept complaining have not voted). Mr. Jammeh was so elated that he showered Colley packets of money. Colley, who doubles as the APRC National Mobiliser, was asked to keep the bag of voter’s cards at the Kanifing bureau until would-be Casamance voters arrived.
These guards got upset and decided to put Colley under surveillance. When it became clear that the voter’s cards were kept at the bureau, the soldiers planned to set the complex on fire. It was a carefully planned attack that involved four State Guards who wanted to sneak into the bureau, destroy the bag and melt into the air. But they changed their mind and set the building on fire. They would have stayed in the country if one of the arsonists did not drop his cell phone at the scene. It was agreed that none of them would carry a phone and wallet to avoid leaving behind any clue or lead, an agreement one of the attackers had violated.
The arsonists, who overpowered the police on duty, ran for their lives. The men remained in Senegal until Yahya Jammeh was defeated. Except one who proceeded abroad, the rest have recently returned home with their heads high up. They are proud to avert what would have been the greatest assault on Gambia’s democracy. Without their efforts, Yahya Jammeh could have cheated his way to power.
All the arsonists escaped Jammeh’s wrath. However, their colleague State Guard Corporal Tumani Jallow had lost his life for merely accepting to run an errand for one of the arsonists. The only piece of evidence found on Tumani, 26, was the text message. His family too have embarked on a long period of mourning punctuated with unanswered questions: who killed Tumani,when, how, what were his last words and why Jammeh and his heartless killers denied him decent burial.
Ends
These are the patriotic citizens who we must all be proud of. Their efforts have led to the coalition victory against military dictatorship. Their selfless sacrifices to ensure that democracy and aspirations of Gambian people prevail is an outstanding patriotic move. They and other gallant citizens have laid their lives for the country. These patriots were not looking for political positions but they were indeed concerned about human rights violations and continuous economic deterioration our country face on daily basis. Yaya Jammeh complained about those illegal Jola voters from Cassamance who would have voted for him and disappeared back to their country. Thanks to these foot soldiers on the ground, his evil intentions was averted and today he live in exile. Thank you all for job well done.
Yankuba Colley needs to be investigated.
With the Witness Statements of these UPSTANDING soldiers and possible evidence from the Independent Election Commission where someone must know how the Voters Cards were printed and taken to the APRC Bureau, there is enough evidence to charge Yankuba Colley and partners with Conspiracy to Commit Election Fraud.
Due Process of Law must be followed or Gambia becomes lawless again.
Maxs, these patriotic soldiers’ efforts should be recognized by the President Barrow government, since without their sacrifice Jammeh would have been fraudulently winner of the 2016 Presidential election. Similarly, I would also want to suggest that Kaironews set up a gofund for these soldiers, particularly for the family of Tumani. In the absence of gofund, a concerned Gambian want to offer help to Tumani’s immediate family via Kaironews. Kaironews may please drop me a line.
Arona , your suggestion is a great idea. These heroes and their families should be compensated, especially Mr Jallow’s family. I think the Government should quickly set up Justice commission to look into human right violations and atrocities committed during military dictatorship so that those who committed heinous crime be punished and victims and their families compensate. But the way I am looking at this government, I hope they don’t take the usual Gambian attitude of letting perpetrators of crimes go Scott free . I am extremely disappointed to see the coalition leadership taking pictures with the former Vice President Isatou Njie saidy who was smiling broadly as if she is the new Vice President of The Gambia. Justice must be done or else we are rewarding negative behavior which will encourage other Gambian to commit similar atrocities .
These soldiers are the patriotic citizens yankuba kolley should be arrested and brought to justice as soon as possible. This idiots aprc should have been banned from gambia.
Listening to the interview of the late Tumani’s mother, it became clear that the jammeh govt use the system of justice only known to them – kill with impunity.
My bone with the current govt is the fact that the likes of CDS Badjie are or must be aware of these gross atrocities and are still in their jobs. These cowards will only try to cover their dirty dealings while in the job as it easier for them to do so. Their victims’ families seeing them keeping their jobs only send a wrong message and the new govt has to be aware of that. Justice is long overdue & surely keeping CDS and some of his rogue soldiers is a wrong footing.
Thanks for the space.
Such evidence of illegal electoral malpractices & other heinous unhuman crimes revelations so far, with many more barbarities & injustices committed by EVIL kanilai yaya DEVIL with connivance of EVIL cohorts & yet to be revealed, must all be taken care of by the Truth & Reconciliation Commission…
The Coalition government must know they’ll be responsible & accountable for commissioning & ensuring the atrocious barbarities committed under the MURDEROUS OPPRESSIVE kanilai FIEFDOM are truthfully screened & adequately redressed for enablement of Communal Healing process necessary for genuine reconciliation…
Nothing short is expected; long live the Gambia…
Yap, these indeed are not only patriots, but real Heroes of the Gambian struggle for liberation. They acted to avert the catastrophe that would have declared Jammeh the winner of December 1 election. Thank you so much for the sacrifice, and with it we all became free from servitude.
Tumani’s fate wretched me -like that of Solo Sandeng. The action of these gallant soldiers must be honoured and a national medal of bravery conferred to them. Their actions are exemplary and must be officially made public as soon as possible. The killers of Tumani must account for this gruesome act. The Barrow administration cannot and must not give up on the victims of crimes committed by Jammeh-dodger and his cohorts.
Salute all. Yankuba Colley, your name have surfaced again connecting to this most serious illegal unconstitutional behaviour. Yankuba, why do you want to see us in pain. You have blood of innocent people on your hands
This revelations definitely makes Yankuba Colley a suspect as to what might have actually happened to the soldier, Tumani Jallow. Until then, I don’t think it legitimate to wish him a – REST IN PEACE.
Someone should be saying something by now if Gambians don’t want the cancer of hypocrisy and contemptious hearts go chronic in her societies. This are all some unfolding proof of how Gambians can be coldblooded within their very own extended family systems, communities and public environ in general, despite claims of a Gambia of a closely knitted society, peace and no problem.
Gambians talk around with jargons like; WICKED HEART, BADMIND, HARD FEELING, ANYAAN, HASHID etc., and one can definitely think these to be true vices among Gambians from every knit of her societies’ fabrics. These vices of her human resources coupled with superstition must be some of the main reasons why a country so small like the Gambia is very underdeveloped, muddy and dusty respectively to seasons. With these vicious natures of a country’s people, horrible screts of the summary and isolated killings of citizens like Tumani Jallow and the likes of him can be kept well in the ‘chest’ of hypocrisy.
Let someone be talking now about; when, why, where and how with respect to victims like Tumani Jallow.
The new government of Barrow is proving somehow laid back in attitude towards any serious truth and reconciliations efforts that might be existing and that is a stance that they need to rethink.
Where is Mina Manneh or I just failed to be current about the case….
Where is the youth from Banjul, according to claims was arrested for taking pictures of soldiers just few days prior to Jammeh’s lamming?
-AND Tumani Jallow?
How many more arbitrarily detained still remain under horrendous prison conditions in mile2 and elsewhere?