By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
Property owners and residents of Sukuta Salagi are reeling from shock and anger following a series of demolitions carried out by the Department of Physical Planning, which razed over 17 compounds to the ground. The demolition exercises, conducted on March 28 and April 3, 2025, have left families homeless and sparked widespread outrage among locals who accuse government officials of land grabbing and neglecting their pleas for justice.
Accompanied by armed paramilitary police, officials from the Department of Physical Planning bulldozed homes that property owners say were legally acquired from Sukuta natives and developed with investments worth millions of dalasis. Affected residents, many of whom are now displaced, argue that the demolitions have upended their lives and erased years of hard work.
Dawda Cham, one of the affected property owners, recounted receiving a notice on March 25, 2025, demanding he vacate his property due to a lack of a building permit. “My brother and I took loans from banks to build on land inherited from our mother, an heir to Salagi lands,” Cham said. Despite efforts to secure the required permits, he learned on March 28 that his home was being demolished. “We were left with nothing,” he added.
Mbara Bojang, a 70-year-old resident, shared a similar tale of loss. She told reporters this was not the first time Physical Planning had seized her family’s inheritance lands. After losing land bequeathed to her children by their late father, she gave them her inheritance—only for it to be demolished. “My children invested all their savings to build homes for their families,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. “This demolition has traumatized us. We don’t know where to go.” Bojang urged the Gambian government to intervene and provide compensation for the destroyed properties, which she estimates are worth millions of dalasis.
Ousman Bojang, a representative of the Kenebaring Kabilo, expressed disbelief at the scale of the destruction, which leveled everything from storey buildings to self-contained apartments and smaller homes. He dismissed claims by Minister of information Ismaila Ceesay that affected property owners had been compensated. “We challenge the minister to produce a list of those compensated,” Bojang said. “We’re seeing government officials, including those from Physical Planning, grabbing lands from Sukuta families. They demarcate and sell plots to their spouses, relatives, and even girlfriends.”
Bojang accused the authorities of using pretexts like land reservation to justify their actions, pointing out that areas once earmarked for public use—such as a hospital, mosque, cemetery, garage, and prayer grounds—have been sold to private individuals. He also called on the Ministry of Lands to release a panel report on Salagi, which he claims confirms that affected families remain uncompensated and highlights irregularities in land allocation.
Many residents insist they obtained building permits before construction, contradicting the minister’s assertions. The demolitions have fueled allegations of systemic corruption and favoritism, with property owners demanding accountability and restitution.
As the dust settles over Salagi’s flattened compounds, the affected families grapple with an uncertain future. They call on the government to address their plight and restore what they have lost.
