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Tag: Jammeh

  • Yahya Jammeh stole $50m

    The Gambia’s former president, Yahya Jammeh stole “at least” $50m from the state before he left the country in January.

    According to the justice minister, Jammeh withdrew the money via a state telecoms company.

    The BBC reported that a court has ordered all his remaining assets in The Gambia to be frozen.

    Mr Jammeh flew into Equatorial Guinea after 22 years in power. He lost an election in December and only agreed to step down after regional powers sent in troops threatening to force him out.

    Luxury cars and other items were reportedly loaded on to a Chadian cargo plane as Mr Jammeh left the country.

    The amount was initially suggested to be more than $11m (£8.8m) by Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty then an aide to new President Adam Barrow.

    But on Monday, Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said that Mr Jammeh had withdrawn $50m between 2006 and 2016.

    He accused Mr Jammeh of directing the “unlawful withdrawals” from accounts held at The Gambia’s central bank, linked to state-owned Gamtel either “personally or under his instructions”.

    Mr Tambadou said a court order had frozen or temporarily held 88 accounts and 14 companies linked in some way to Mr Jammeh – amounting to all the politician’s “known assets” remaining in The Gambia, as the country’s new administration sought to prevent him “liquidating or dissipating” anything further.

    It has also been reported livestock, cars and properties have been seized. Three of his cousins have been arrested after selling his cattle.

    Mr Tambadou said the discoveries were “just a tip of the iceberg”.

    Mr Jammeh has been out of contact since he left The Gambia and has not responded to the allegations.

     

    Source: BBC

  • Gambia Crisis: Nigeria not appreciated by AU in peacekeeping role

    The just concluded African Union, AU summit ended without a mention of the gallantry role the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the Nigerian troops played in solving the political imbroglio of the tiny West African nation.

    Speakers at the summit took time to appreciate efforts made by Mauritania and Guinea for persuading for President Yahya Jammeh to hand over power to President-Elect Adama Barrow without acknowledging the mediatory roles Nigeria played from the beginning of the crisis to when Jammeh finally agress to handover.

    At various meetings held during the Summit, nobody mentioned the efforts Nigeria made to resolve the empasse despite Nigeria’s spending millions of Dollars in moving military personnel and warships to the Gambia, a threat that eventually made Jammeh to leave power.

    Despite efforts by Nigeria’s foreign Minister, Godfrey Onyema’s for participants to recognize Nigeria’s role in solving the crisis, AU still did not specifically recognized Nigeria as providing leadership role on the issue.

    TheNewsGuru.com can authoritatively report that Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari pulled the final chord that settled the crisis by calling on Mauritanian’s president who is known to be a close friend of Jammeh

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Nigeria footed the logistics bill of the entourage that went to The Gambia from the beginning till when the crisis was successfully resolved.

     

  • I didn’t leave Gambia with looted funds on Tinubu’s plane – Jammeh

    Ousted president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh has denied leaving the country with stolen funds as reported in some sections of the media on Monday.

    According to reports, Jammeh left the country with $11million cash after he was forced to go on exile in Guinea on Monday.

    TheNewsGuru.com had reported that following a meeting with Guinean President Alpha Conde and Mauritania’s President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz on Saturday, Jammeh left Banjul into exile with his family aboard Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s Falcon 900.

    However, investigations have revealed that there was money on the private jet.

    According to a source who craved anonymity, “No such thing happened.”

    Speaking further, the source said: “In fact, it was impossible for looted monies to have been taken away on an aircraft that was in public glare. The radar of the international media, security forces and Gambian people was on the aircraft.

    “It is practically impossible to load millions of dollars on the plane. In any case, no money was loaded into the plane, safe Guinean President Conde, Jammeh, his wife, mother and son.”

    TheNewsGuru.com also reported that the newly sworn in president, Adama Barrow has promised to investigate and probe the former president if found guilty.

     

  • Why we allowed Jammeh go on exile – President Barrow

    President Adama Barrow of The Gambia has said erstwhile president, Yahya Jammeh was allowed to go on exile because of the tensed atmosphere in the country under which the new administration which he (Barrow) heads cannot guarantee his (Jammeh’s) safety.

    Barrow revealed this on Sunday night while appreciating the collaborative efforts of African leaders in ensuring his successful inauguration and the subsequent ousting of Jammeh.

    He promised to put in place laws that will ensure smooth transfer of power within the given term of office.

    “This time the democratic principle will be reinstated. And we will improve on them. We will put in place laws that nobody will stay long. Laws like term limit.

    “Every president will know that; ‘look I am president but at this time I will leave power.’ You will behave yourself and try to work for the country so that you will leave a good legacy.”

    He further explained that former President, Yahya Jammeh, was allowed to leave the country, in order to ensure his (Jammeh’s) safety.

    “We don’t want him to stay in the Gambia, because we cannot guarantee his security.

    “The security situation in the Gambia is fragile. It’s a very difficult situation. And if you allow a former President to stay in your country, you have to guarantee his security.

    “If you cannot guarantee his security, it will be impossible for us to keep him. That is why our stand is; let him leave to a foreign land. In the future he might come back if things settle down,” Barrow said.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the then opposition leader Adama Barrow contested against the then incumbent president Yahya Jammeh in the presidential elections held on December 1 which he (Barrow) won.

     

  • Tinubu’s private jet flies Jammeh to exile

    Details have emerged how a peaceful exit was reached for embattled former President of The Gambia, Yahyah Jammeh who agreed to leave the country to save his people from a major crisis.

    “Fifty days after he lost at tbe ballot, former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh, relinquished power on Saturday, January 21, 2017 and left the country in an aeroplane said to belong to former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    “It was learnt that Tinubu’s gesture was to further consolidate President Muhammadu Buhari-led Economic Community of Africa (ECOWAS)’s” The Nation newspaper reports.

    Jammeh’s exit paved the way for the return of President Adama Barrow to take office after he was sworn in on Thursday in Dakar, Senegal.

    Tinubu’s VP-CBT Falcon Jet had been with President Conde, who is a close friend of the leading politician.

    It was not until late on Saturday night that Jammeh agreed to go. Sources said Tinubu was contacted to allow the use of his jet to fly Jammeh out of Banjul.

    He reportedly gave a condition: it should only be used “if it will facilitate the quick exit of Jammeh and lead to the restoration of peace and democracy in The Gambia”.

    The plane eventually flew out with Jammeh, his wife, mother and President Conde on board.

    Senegal, it was learnt, insisted on knowing those on board before allowing it to overfly its airspace. This wish was granted. Jammeh was flown to Equitorial Guinea where he will be on exile

    Jammeh arrived at the airport amid a large convoy of vehicles and throngs of cheering supporters.

    He stood on a small platform to hear ceremonial music performed by a military band and then walked down a long red carpet, surrounded by dignitaries.

    He climbed the steps to the plane, turned and kissed and waved a Qur’an at those assembled.

    It was an emotional farewell. Many soldiers, supporters and dignitaries were crying. Others in The Gambia were glad to see the end of a 22-year dictatorship which had little respect for human rights and freedom of speech.

  • We will investigate, probe Jammeh for crime against citizens – Barrow

     

    President Adama Barrow of the Gambia on Saturday disclosed that he would launch a “truth and reconciliation commission” to investigate possible crimes committed by the former leader of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh.

    Barrow, however, urged caution after an online petition called for Yahya Jammeh to be arrested, and not be granted asylum. We aren’t talking about prosecution here, we are talking about getting a truth and reconciliation commission,” Barrow told the Associated Press.

    Barrow, who took the presidential oath of office Thursday at Gambia’s embassy in Dakar, with the backing of the international community, added that “Before you can act, you have to get the truth, to get the facts together.”

    Isolated in his official residence in Banjul, Jammeh had been abandoned by his security forces and several cabinet members.

    Since losing the election to Barrow, Jammeh had for weeks refused to hand over power.

    He finally declared on Friday that he would step down and leave, saying “I have decided in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation.”

    Human rights activists demanded that Jammeh be held accountable for alleged abuses, including torture and detention of opponents.

    It is believee that concerns about prosecution led Jammeh to challenge the December election results.

    At least 46,000 people have fled Gambia for Senegal since the start of the crisis fearing unrest, the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR said, citing Senegalese government figures.

     

  • Jammeh leaves Banjul today, starts new life in exile

    Jammeh leaves Banjul today, starts new life in exile

    Gambia’s former president, Yahya Jammeh will now leave Banjul on Saturday with President Alpha Conde of Guinea, to begin a new life in exile.

    This followed Friday’s final peace move by Conde and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

    The two West African leaders travelled to Banjul to persuade the long ruling Jammeh to leave peacefully before West African forces pounced on him.

    In a statement issued on state TV on Friday night, Jammeh announced that he was stepping down, a superfluous announcement as he was already no more the leader, having been denied recognition by the world.

    All indications are that Jammeh will be going into exile in Guinea.

    A senior adviser to new President Adama Barrow said talks to finalise the exile deal were holding up his exit.

    “I can assure you that he has agreed to leave,” Mai Ahmad Fatty, Barrow’s special advisor, said in Senegal’s capital Dakar. He could not say where Jammeh would go into exile.

    President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow had earlier confirmed Yahya Jammeh’s stepping down.

    Barrow, on his twitter handle on Friday, @adama_barrow said: “I would like to inform you that Yahya Jammeh has agreed to step down.

    “He is scheduled to depart Gambia today. #NewGambia.”

    Barrow on Thursday took the oath of office as Gambia’s new president.

    He was sworn-in about 5p.m. Senegalese time at the Gambian High Commission in Dakar, Senegal.

    Barrow succeeded Yahya Jammeh, who lost in the Dec. 1 presidential election and refused to vacate office when his term expired midnight on Thursday.

    Gambia’s Chief of Defence, Ousman Badjie, on Friday pledged loyalty to President Barrow.

    “West African troops that crossed from neighbouring Senegal into Gambia to help unseat Jammeh would be welcomed “with a cup of tea,’’ said Badjie.

    ECOWAS armies halted Operation Restore Democracy aimed at installing the country’s new president, Adama Barrow, on Thursday so regional leaders could make one last attempt to convince long-time ruler Yahya Jammeh to step aside.

    In Dakar, the Nigerian force Commander, Operation Restore Democracy, Air Commodore Tajudeen Yusuf, said the ECOWAS forces would not let down their guard, inspite of negotiations for the former Gambian president, Alhaji Yahaya Jammeh to leave office.

    He said the troops were awaiting briefing by the political leaders.

    Yusuf made the statement while briefing newsmen in Dakar, on Friday.

    “”Even if he quits we are not letting down our guard, our mandate is to restore peace in Gambia.

    “”We have been on standby, and the troops are still on a very high alert, depending on the outcome of political negotiations.

    “”We are not letting down our guard; our mandate is to restore democracy in Gambia,’’ Yusuf said.

    Yusuf added that the mandate given to them was to restore peace and nothing else.

    He promised to carry out his responsibilities professionally while waiting for further directive from the political masters.

    Jammeh, in power since a 1994 coup, initially conceded defeat to Barrow following a Dec. 1 election before back-tracking, saying the vote was flawed.

  • BREAKING: Yahya Jammeh makes u-turn, steps down as Gambia’s president

    Embattled former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, has finally decided to step down, following his defeat in the presidential election held on December 1, 2016.

    According to France 24, Jammeh is has written a statement indicating his interest to step down and seek asylum in a neighbouring country.

    To this end, Jammeh requested an extension in the deadline given to him by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to vacate office.

    However, the ECOWAS troops have already taken over large parts of The Gambia including Banjul, the capital where they were met with almost no resistance.

    Despite Jammeh’s insistence of clinching onto power, Adama Barrow was on Thursday sworn-in as President of Gambia in the country’s embassy in Senegal.

     

    Details later…

  • BREAKING: Military operations suspended in Gambia for final talks with Jammeh

    BREAKING: Military operations suspended in Gambia for final talks with Jammeh

     

    The coalition of African forces assigned to militarily force Yahya Jammeh out of The Gambia’s presidency after failed talks to hand over power to the newly sworn in president, Adama Barrow as his tenure expires Thursday, has been suspended.

    The decision was reached to enable the ECOWAS team meet again with Jammeh in a final talk session to appeal to him to step down for the new president to take over realms of leadership in the tiny West Africa country.

    Talks will be led by Guinean president Alpha Condé in Banjul on Friday (today) morning, said Marcel Alain de Souza, head of the Economic Community of West African States.

    “If by midday, he doesn’t agree to leave The Gambia under the banner of President Condé, we really will intervene militarily,” he added.

    Recall that Adama Barrow was sworn in Thurssay as Gambia’s new president in Senegal.

  • Jammeh is no longer The Gambia’s President – Security Council

    The UN Security Council on Thursday affirmed that Adama Barrow is now the legitimate President of The Gambia, declaring that “former President Yahya Jammeh is out”.

    The President of the Security Council, Olof Skoog (Sweden), told the UN Correspondents after the adoption of the Resolution 2337 (2017) by consensus by the 15-Member Council.

    The Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Resolution was sponsored by Senegal on the situation in The Gambia.

    NAN reports that the Resolution by Senegal, sought the Council’s approval and support for ECOWAS to take all necessary actions to remove Jammeh and install Barrow as President.

    “I just made a call to The Gambia’s President Adama Barrow to tell him that the Security Council is behind him and support him as the president.

    “The Security Council affirmed support to President Barrow. The Resolution adopted just now is political.

    “There is a strong request to former president Yahya Jammeh to carry out peaceful transfer of power to President Barrow.

    “The Council resolved that the will of the people of the Gambia as expressed on Dec. 1 must be fully respected. That is the message of the UN Security Council.

    “The Council urged all parties to exercise restraints. Jammeh is now out.

    “The Security Council is now behind ECOWAS stands behind the efforts of ECOWAS to resolve the issue.

    “The Council is following the events in The Gambia closely.

    “The Security Council has directed the Secretary-General to report to the Council within the next 10 days.

    “We know as we speak, political efforts are still ongoing to resolve the crisis peacefully,” Skoog said after the adoption of the Resolution.

    He said that the Council wanted the political crisis to be resolved as bloodlessly as possible and would have preferred a peaceful resolution, if Jammeh would heed the call.

    NAN reports that the Members of the Security Council, who contributed to the debate of the Resolution, included that of China, Japan, Russia, U.S., Senegal, among others.

    They all affirmed their support to the Resolution and expressed concerns on the consequences of Jammeh’s action on the civilians in the country, the sub-region and the region, as a whole.