The Party Leader and Secretary-General of the United Democratic Party (UDP) has claimed that the operation of security forces in the Gambia today is reminiscent of what used to happen during the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh, noting that the people who were at the helm of the affairs at the various security institutions are still in charge.
He accused them of not knowing anything other than what used to prevail under the regime of Yayha Jammeh.
Darboe said during the UDP’s press conference following the arrest and eventual detention of his party General Campaign Manager, Momodou Sabally, and party stalwart, Sherrifo Sonko.
According to Darboe, the arrest and detention of UDP supporters during Jammeh’s time by the security forces is the same as what is happening today because those in the force are still at the helm of affairs in the security institutions.
“What we have seen is very reminiscent of the Jammeh era. The security in the Jammeh-era UDP’s whole problem was between UDP and the security. And now, the same thing is happening between the UDP and security. All that happened in the Jammeh era is happening now because those people who were at the helm or at least in senior positions in security in the Jammeh era are the people who are still at the heads of these security institutions. They know nothing other than what used to happen in the Jammeh era. They know no other procedure,” Darboe claimed.
He said that Momodou Sabally’s comment about the brutality of the police is established, stressing that the PIU gave itself a bad reputation.
He further challenged the leadership of the Gambia Police Force to engage in restoring dignity and good reputation for the police rather than brutalizing citizens.
On Friday, two party members of the United Democratic Party were invited for questioning by the police and were eventually detained. This came three days after a deadly attack that killed two police officers on Tuesday. The police say UDP’s campaign manager, Momodou Sabally, was detained in connection to the shooting after a comment he made. Sherrifo Sonko, the other detainee, is being questioned over publishing the names and addresses of certain PIU officials on Facebook.
