The Gambia’s Interior Minister has responded to wisely circulated rumours milling in the country and in the diaspora that a curfew has since been imposed in Kanilai where irate supporters of former President Yahya Jammeh had violent confrontation with regional peacekeeping troops. The confrontation led to the death of one Haruna Jammeh, arrest and detention of more than two dozen of protest who felt it their bonafide right to protest, haul insults and burn tyres without securing permit.
Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty who was attending the ECOWAS summit in Liberia had immediately flown home to manage the post-Jammeh security crisis. He had addressed the nation, warning that no act of lawlessness would be accepted in a New Gambia where citizens have the choice to either obey the law or be consumed by it. Security has since been reinforced in Kanilai, with ECOWAS leaders extending the mandate of the peacekeepers whose presence was one of the reasons that sparked the violent protest.
However, rumour has been going round accusing Interior Minister of imposing a disk to dawn curfew in Kanilai, a claim Mai Fatty vehemently disputed. Below is Fatty’s reaction:
“I have no authority under law to either declare or impose a curfew in any part of The Gambia. I did not declare or authorize the imposition of a curfew in any part of The Gambia. The Gambia Government has not imposed or declared a curfew in any part of The Gambia. If conditions existed that will trigger such declaration or imposition in any part of the country, textual procedures must be followed. As of now, no such conditions have been determined to have existed.”
Ends
The editorial board of foroyaa is responsible for deceiving Gambian people once again. Mr Sallah and his team are being deceptive and outright deliberate in their game to confuse Gambians. Despite the fact that the army commander said there was no curfew in kanillia , foroyaa went on to report false story . Halifa and his team needs to learn basic ethics of journalism which is consult and confirm your story before publication.
Quote : “Despite the fact that the army commander said there was no curfew in kanillia , foroyaa went on to report false story .”
Is it the same Army Commander who couldn’t even communicate the order to his men in time, about the patrol of ECOMIG Forces into Kaninlai, to avoid the well publicised clash of the two forces ?
I know who to believe, if indeed, Foroyaa had reported a state declared curfew in Kaninlai, but it hasn’t. It is unfair to accuse the paper of deception, when the facts of the Kaninlai incident or the situation in village is not known to you.
Foroyaa is reporting the situation in the village, as best as it can, and under prevailing circumstances, that is easier said than done. Even the Interior Minister has made claims about the incident which are being disputed and I haven’t seen you come here and accuse him of falsehood or deception.
Instead, you have constantly regurgitated the same, despite independent witnesses and available pictures disputing those claims.