By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
Victims and survivors of the April 2000 student massacre in The Gambia have expressed jubilation following the arrest of Sanna Manjang, one of former President Yahya Jammeh’s most feared “Jungulars” – the notorious hit squad accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during the 22-year dictatorship.
Manjang, widely regarded as second only to Jammeh on the list of most-wanted perpetrators, was apprehended by a joint security operation involving the Gambian and Senegalese armed forces in the Casamance region of southern Senegal. The Gambian government confirmed the arrest in an official press statement on Saturday, 29 November 2025, marking a significant breakthrough in the long pursuit of justice for victims of the Jammeh regime.
Abdul Karim Jammeh (AKJ), a prominent survivor of the April 2000 massacre and leading advocate at the Victims’ Centre, described the arrest as a moment survivors had waited over two decades to see.
“We welcome the recent developments regarding the arrest and detention of the most brutal and wicked killer, former Jungular Sanna Manjang, and his colleague in Casamance,” AKJ told The Alkamba Times. “As a survivor and member of the Victims’ Centre, this is the moment we have been waiting for. Hopefully, the big fish, Yahya Jammeh, will soon follow suit as the long arm of justice is catching them one after the other.”
The April 2000 protests saw security forces open fire on unarmed students demonstrating against impunity, killing at least 14 and wounding dozens. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) later established that the Jungulars, under Jammeh’s direct command, were responsible for hundreds of murders, tortures, and disappearances.
AKJ warned remaining perpetrators that “they can run but will never escape,” adding that Manjang’s capture signals that “very soon the former dictator Yahya Jammeh will be arrested and sent to his hotel – Mile 2,” referring to the infamous central prison in Banjul where many of his victims were once detained.
He stressed that the arrest serves as a stark reminder to current leaders that “there is life after presidency and public office,” urging them to govern justly.
The survivor leader also highlighted the deteriorating health of many victims, revealing that four had died from illness in the past week alone, with many others still hospitalised. “Victims of the former regime are dying one after the other without closure,” he said.
In a direct appeal to President Adama Barrow’s administration, AKJ accused the government of “dining with perpetrators” and “sitting on our blood and tears.” He demanded urgent action to deliver justice, reparations, and support for affected families.
“We call on President Barrow and his government to stop protecting those who committed atrocities and ensure closure for victims and survivors,” he said. “We further appeal to all genuine Gambians to extend helping hands through the Victims’ Centre to those on sick beds, to families struggling with education costs, and to provide blanket reparations for all registered victims.”
As Jammeh continues to live in exile in Equatorial Guinea, survivors insist that Manjang’s arrest proves no sanctuary is permanent. With regional and international pressure mounting, many believe the net is finally closing on one of West Africa’s most brutal regimes.
