By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
A storm of accusations swirls around Niani District Chief Pierre Bah as communities across the district, from Faraba to Mbolbuck, raise alarms over what they describe as a brazen pattern of corruption, land grabbing, and favoritism orchestrated by their chief. While Bah vehemently denies these charges, the voices of frustrated residents paint a troubling picture of systemic abuse of power, nepotism, and intimidation that threaten the fabric of their communities.
The allegations against Chief Bah are as varied as they are serious. In Faraba village, residents claim that Bah illegally reassigned lands to allies, disregarding the rightful owners.
In Kuntaur Fula Kunda, a plot earmarked for a hospital was reportedly demarcated and sold to a third party, with whispers of Bah’s involvement.
Perhaps most audaciously, between the villages of Kerr Sait Maram and Kayai, Bah is accused of conspiring with the Alkalo of Kerr Sait Maram to seize a vast tract of land without due process. Residents say he has since relocated his relatives to this land, a claim Bah himself confirms, though he insists the land was part of the abandoned village of Kayainding.
“I allocated the land, yes, but it was abandoned,” Bah told TAT, his tone defiant yet measured. He admitted, however, that he lacked approval from the Governor or the Ministry of Lands—a critical oversight under Gambian law. When pressed, Bah’s explanations grew vague, leaving more questions than answers.
The discontent doesn’t end there. In Mbolbuck village, Bah is accused of backing his close friend, Alkalo Nofong Jallow of Sare Nyanga Jallube, in forcibly reallocating lands traditionally owned by Mbolbuck’s community.
Residents point to a history of favoritism, citing a 2008 incident where Bah, barely a year into his tenure as chief, seized farmlands from the Jawo family and handed them to Jallow. When the Jawos resisted, three family members were arrested and detained for over a month. It took a 2011 High Court ruling to reverse Bah’s decision and return the lands to their rightful owners.
“Everyone in Niani knows about Chief Bah’s illegal activities,” said a young man from the district, his voice steady but his identity concealed for fear of reprisal. “He’s amassed land for himself and his family, and he uses his power to silence anyone who speaks out. You can’t use my name—he’s too powerful, and I’m nobody.”
Bah’s defense hinges on deflecting responsibility. Regarding the Mbolbuck-Sare Nyanga Jallube dispute, he claims the boundary was set over five decades ago by former Chief Dudu Ndow, long before his time.
In a letter dated May 29, 2025, addressed to CRR Governor Ousman Bah, he referenced a supposed 1973 judgment by Ndow settling the matter. Yet, no independent evidence of this ruling exists, and with all original parties deceased, its validity is questionable. A Gambian lawyer, speaking anonymously, explained that a 50-year-old, unexecuted judgment involving communal land is effectively invalid, particularly since there are no living witnesses or a presiding judge to attest to its validity.
Other allegations follow a similar pattern. In Faraba and Sare Malau, Bah dismisses claims of reallocating lands to “wrongful families” as baseless, insisting the matter was settled under a previous chief, Jalamang Keita.
On the Kuntaur Fula Kunda hospital land, he denies personal involvement, pointing to a group court that allegedly resolved a dispute between Fula Kunda and Nema. Yet, residents remain skeptical, noting a lack of transparency and documentation.
The silence from higher authorities only fuels the frustration. Repeated attempts to reach Governor Ousman Bah for comment went unanswered, raising concerns about oversight and accountability. For many in Niani, this silence feels like complicity, allowing Chief Bah’s alleged abuses to persist unchecked.
Residents’ fear of speaking out is palpable. Several declined to be named, citing Bah’s influence and history of intimidation. “People are tired of his favoritism, nepotism, and corruption,” one villager said, their voice tinged with resignation. “But the chief is too powerful. You can’t fight him and win.”
Yet, cracks in the chief’s armor are beginning to show. The 2011 High Court ruling against him serves as a reminder that his authority is not absolute. And as allegations pile up, the whispers of discontent grow louder. “The truth always surfaces,” another anonymous resident warned, their words carrying the weight of a community pushed to its limit.
For now, Niani’s residents wait; their trust in local governance has eroded. With unresolved land disputes spanning decades and no clear intervention from above, the question looms: how long can Chief Pierre Bah’s grip on power hold? In the Central River Region, where land is both livelihood and legacy, the stakes could not be higher.
