By Hatab Nyang and Louise Jobe
The Office of the Gambia Government Spokesperson Ebrima G Sankareh in a recent press statement has said that the story on aleged Nigerian kidnappers caught with children in Busumbala in the West Coast Region is false.
According to the press statement, two Gambian brothers with their seven children all under the ages of 10 years, were caught by a mob of vigilantes in Busumbala who falsely accused them of being Nigerian child smugglers; that one of the men who was nervous, frantically tried to explain to no avail to the mob that he was with his family and were headed to Fajikjida after a trip to the provinces; that his brother who was also with him in the car, was vocally handicapped and could not explain his relationship with the children. The reléase indicate that the Busumbala mob seized the men and subjected them to the most harrowing barbarity ever imaginable; that the duo was later hospitalized at the Kanifing Regional and Brikama Hospitals respectively with severe injuries to their heads, while their children reunited with their mothers who were at the Brikama Police Station with social workers comforting them as Police tried to unearth the mystery story.
According to police at Farato where the duo and children were first taken to, the mob also seized the family’s C-Class Mercedes Benz, popped the engine-hood and then set the car ablaze; that when the firefighters came to the scene, the mob threatened to fight them as the incinerated vehicle was in flames.
These reporters were further informed that Tabokoto based Yahya Jagana, the father of the children, was returning from his garden with his children who were seated in the backseat of his car, only for a mob in Busumbala to mistaken him for a child kidnapper. Below is the Press Release published in full:
‘Office of the Gambia Government Spokesperson
Press Release Dated: 12th December, 2019
‘In the wake of a story alleging that some Nigerians are apprehended in Busumbala, West Coast Region, attempting to traffic children, please be informed that the entire story is patently false.
Instead, earlier this evening two Gambian brothers with their seven children all under 10, were literally ambushed by a mob of vigilante in Busumbala falsely accusing them of being Nigerian children smugglers.
‘Unfortunately, one of the men is vocally handicapped (dumb) and could not explain his relationship with the children. His brother, who was nervous, frantically tried to explain to the mob that this was a family headed to Fajikjida after a trip to the provinces to no avail. The Busumbala mob finally seized the men and subjected them to the most harrowing barbarity ever imaginable. The duo has since been hospitalized at Kanifing Regional and Brikama Hospitals with severe juries to their heads while their children reunited with their mothers, are at Brikama Police Station with social workers comforting them as police unearth this mystery story.
‘According to police at Farato where the duo and children were first rescued to, the mob also seized the family’s C-Class Mercedes Benz, popped the engine-hood and then set the car ablaze. When the firefighters came to the scene, the mob threatened to fight them as the incinerated vehicle was in flames.
Singed,
Ebrima G Sankareh
The Gambia Government Spokesperson’
