By Mustapha Jallow
Foroyaa can confirm that the following detainees
have been released:
OMAR MALLEH JABANG, A BUSINESSMAN, who spent 73 days in detention at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul, has been released on Saturday, 21 January, 2017 around 10pm.
On Saturday, Malleh told this reporter on phone that he was picked up by men called ‘the jugulars’ and since then he was held at the NIA without any explanation as to why he was arrested and detained. Asked if the said men tortured him while he was in detention, he said he was well and safe there as the jugulars leader asked the NIA agents for his protection which they did. He has now reunited with his family.
It could be recalled that M. Jabang was abducted on Thursday, 10 November, 2016 in broad daylight at Abuko Abattoir by three men in plain clothes.
BAKARY FATTY, an agriculture reporter at the Gambia
Radio and Television Services (GRTS), and a resident of Farato-Jambur, has been released on Friday, 20 January, 2017 around 6pm at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul.
According to Journalist Fatty, he was picked up at GRTS by NIA agents and taken to their headquarters in Banjul. He said no reason or questions were posed to him regarding why he was brought to the NIA. ‘‘I’m free finally, for more than 3 months my boss Sabally and I were arrested without any reason and none of the agents can tell us why,’’ he explained.
‘‘I have arrived home safe and well and was welcomed with a large number of my family, neighbours and other relatives coming all the way from up country, who offered prayers for me,” he said.
Bakary’s arrest came in the wake of his return from Kanilai on Monday, 7 November at a time when he was complaining of an asthmatic attack.
EX-DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
MR. MOMODOU SARJO JALLOW, has been released on Saturday, 21 January, 2017 in the morning by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), after he was held incommunicado for 140 days without being taken to a court of law, according to his brother Gibiren Jallow.
His brother told this reporter that the former minister was unlawfully detained by state security agents for no reason. “We are finally free from this slavery. Our loved one is presently at his mother’s residence for security reasons,” he added.
It was reported that Mr Jallow was arrested since on Friday, 2 September, 2016, and detained at the NIA headquarters in Banjul.
The family had filed a suit in court for the release of Mr Jallow and the court ordered for his release but he was not released.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL MAI TOURAY, has been 
released from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul on Friday, 20 January, 2017 around 6pm, the husband told Foroyaa.
According to Mr. Sanna Cham, he received a phone call from his wife that she is finally released by the NIA and he should go and pick her up. “She is back home, relatives and friends are coming from far away to greet her and offer prayers to our family,” he disclosed to this reporter through phone.
He added that his wife was not tortured but while she was in detention, the NIA director briefed her that they do not see any crime they have committed and that the Intelligence would release them all which was done.
The resident of Faji-Kunda, was picked up by a group of men in black suits and taken away to an unknown destination on Sunday, 15 January, around 9pm, a family source revealed. She got her freedom after being held for six days incommunicado.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL SEEDY JOOF of the Gambia
Armed Forces (GAF), residing in Lamin village, has finally been released on Friday, 20 January 2017, around 7pm, following his abduction by a group of soldiers, according to his son, Kebba Joof.
The son said that his father has returned home safe and well, after he went missing for 6 days.
It was earlier reported that Lt. Col. Joof was picked up by a group of soldiers in uniform who took him away to an unknown destination on Sunday, 15 January, around 9pm.
MR. OUSMAN JAMMEH was removed from his 
position as Deputy Minister of Agriculture President upon which he was arrested and held incommunicado, for more than a year.
On Thursday 15 October, 2015 upon his removal from office, he was held at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul, where he spent 91 days incommunicado before being sent to the prison. He has been finally released from custody.
MR. SANUSI SANYANG, a resident of New Jeshwang, 
who had gone missing for 6 months with none of his brothers nor his wife knowing where he was, has been released.
Sanusi Sanyang
Foroyaa will find out whether other detainees and disappeared persons on its list have been released.
