President Barrow explained that it is “regrettable that a handful of soldiers recently planned to overthrow the democratically elected government of the day, saying the devastating consequences of illegally overthrowing a constitutionally elected government can never justify the means employed, or the ill-advised purposes for such deadly crimes.”
He added that Gambians have lived through a military regime, and they know how military takeovers have destabilised, disunited and isolated countries within the sub-region that struggle to live with it.
“They have demonstrated that, if we are united and vigilant as patriotic citizens, we will safely defend our country and continue our development programmes. These are times for national reconciliation and consolidation of our democratic institutions and not time to revert to lawlessness, subversion, and unconstitutional tendencies.”
As there are effective measures to ensure justice prevails, he stated that “all unlawful acts, mob justice inclusive, will not be tolerated. He continued that wherever it may be, they must take charge to make the environment safe and maintain peace, law and order.”
