By Makutu Manneh
During his annual tour of military installations across the country, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), Lt. General Mamat O. Cham, issued a firm directive to soldiers stationed in Kerr Pateh village in the North Bank Region, instructing them to shoot and kill violent robbers who pose a threat to the communities under their protection. Referring to the directive as a “fox hunt” in military terms, Lt. General Cham underscored the danger such criminals pose, drawing parallels to attacks suffered by other security forces. “The mandate you have been given is to shoot and kill the violent criminals anytime they come around and are involved in violent robbery within the communities you have sworn to protect. There is no ambiguity about this because this is a threat to our security. If they do, I want you to teach them a lesson they will never forget,’’ CDS Cham stated.
The village of Kerr Pateh became a key deployment site for the military in July 2020 after a violent armed robbery in which businesses were looted and residents terrorised. The GAF deployed a platoon of 30 personnel to the area in response to the attack, which was part of a broader pattern of cross-border crimes. Armed robbers, often arriving in pick-up trucks and horse carts, have repeatedly struck the village and its surroundings before retreating into Senegal through the porous borders. Cham explained that these assaults typically follow local market days (Lumo), creating fear among residents and leading to the theft of valuable property.
“A country cannot develop if the people cannot have the freedom to go about their lives. If anybody raises even a stone to loot what belongs to the people at night, this is robbery and it is a criminal offence. If it is coming from somebody who is not within the territory of the Gambia, it is an invasion,” he declared. He reminded troops that maintaining alertness is essential. “If you are not careful, you could lose your bearings, and a soldier’s bearing is to be alert at all times, and to always think about ‘what if,’” he warned.
Lt. General Cham delivered similar remarks to soldiers in Farafenni, referring to a recent attack in Ballanghar village, Central River Region, an area that falls under the responsibility of the Farafenni military camp. In that incident, which occurred earlier this year, armed robbers reportedly assaulted the village, prompting residents to retaliate, resulting in the death of one of the attackers. CDS Cham, while acknowledging the bravery of the villagers, cautioned them against taking the law into their own hands.
Villagers in Kerr Pateh expressed gratitude for the CDS’s visit and the continued presence of soldiers in their community. They noted that since the military deployment, there had been no further incidents of violent robbery. Meanwhile, the Ballanghar community has made a request for similar protection, and Lt. General Cham assured them that the matter would be considered.
