The Gambian government has appointed Momodou Alieu Bah, a former senior military officer and Interior minister under ex-President Yahya Jammeh, as the new military and defense attaché at the Gambian embassy in Dakar, Senegal. A highly placed source within the government confirmed the development to The Alkamba Times.
Bah’s appointment marks a significant chapter in his complex career, which has seen dramatic shifts from military service to political controversy and back to prominence. A former self-promoted general in the Gambian Armed Forces, Bah was arrested in 2006 for his alleged involvement in a foiled coup attempt against then-President Jammeh. The plot, led by former Chief of Defence Staff Colonel Ndure Cham, aimed to overthrow Jammeh’s regime but was thwarted by loyalist forces. Bah was subsequently court-martialed and sentenced to 25 years at Mile Two Central Prison.
In a surprising turn of events, Bah was pardoned by Jammeh in 2009 after reportedly providing testimony for the prosecution in the trial of another senior officer, General Lang Tombong Tamba. After his release, Bah was reinstated into the Gambian Armed Forces, where he became Director of Finance. His career peaked when Jammeh appointed him Minister of the Interior in September 2016, a role he held until January 2017 amid the constitutional crisis that ended Jammeh’s 22-year rule.
Bah’s new role as military and defense attaché places him at the forefront of Gambia’s military diplomacy in Senegal, a country with which Gambia shares deep historical and geographic ties. The appointment comes as the Barrow government seeks to bolster regional cooperation and address lingering tensions from the Jammeh era.
Public reaction to the decision remains mixed. Some view it as a step toward national reconciliation, while others question the optics of elevating a figure tied to Jammeh’s regime. Bah has yet to comment publicly on his appointment, but his tenure in Dakar will likely be closely watched as Gambia navigates its post-Jammeh transition.
