Reports have emerged on social media that a man was allegedly shot at a village in Foni by the Senegalese drone at the border. Hon. Gibba National Assembly Member for the constituency confirmed the news to Kerr Fatou and explained what he called the intel he received since the incident happened.
“I just confirmed the village where the incident happened. I reported the matter to the Army Commander in Kanilai. It is a village on the border called Kantimba, which is on the same borderline as Kanilai. What I was told by the brother of Kantimba Alkalo. He said at around 7:05 pm C Class vehicle went to load wood. I was told that the location where they loaded the vehicle with wood is in The Gambia.”
“As they were loading the vehicle with wood, a drone came out and shot at them. So when the drone shot at them, that’s the time a bullet hit a boy on his shoulder. He was rushed to Bwiam Hospital for treatment. At around 7:10 pm, the drone took another shot that hit the vehicle they were loading the woods on. But they were not in the vehicle at the time because they ran away from the scene after the first shot that wounded the boy.” Foni Kansala NAM disclosed to Kerr Fatou.
Hon. Gibba further stated that the alleged shootings took place in the Gambia and the location where the alleged victims were loading the wood is also in the Gambia.
The outspoken NAM told Kerr Fatou that when he informed the Army Commander in Kanilai about the incident, the Commander informed him that he would send intelligence to the scene on Monday, January 23, 2023, to verify.
Hon. Gibba disclosed to Kerr Fatou that he would also go to the scene after the burial of the late Vice President Badara Alieu Joof.
“The boy (victim) went with the drivers because the drivers are not from Foni. They only went there to load the wood. I had the privilege of talking to the drivers on the phone and asking them to put the telephone on speaker. They are Wolof and cannot speak Jola. So I had to talk to them in Wolof, and they explained what exactly happened. I advised them not to return to the location to collect their vehicle and materials. Because if they return there, they may be shot at again. I advised them to wait until tomorrow (Today) and accompany the Army on their verification visit.” he told Kerr Fatou.
Hon. Gibba also confirmed to Kerr Fatou that the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident is currently in Kantimba village, and the victim of the alleged drone shot is receiving treatment at Bwiam General Hospital.
“If they go back there alone, without the Army, the drone may shoot at them again. The boy is at the hospital, and he is already dressed with a bandage. I don’t know whether he is released now. This is what happened, but it is not done by the ECOMIG in Kanilai. It is done by a drone at the borderline,” Hon. Gibba confirmed.
