#Headlines

Gen. Saul Badjie, top other GAF officials return from exile

Dec 28, 2021, 1:56 PM | Article By: Momodou Jawo

Lieutenant General Saul Badjie, former commander of the Republican National Guards and senior other officials of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) who went on self-exile with former President Yahya Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea have returned.

 

General Badjie and 15 others including civilians and two children returned over the weekend. They are currently lodged by the Gambian authorities as they are being processed.

General Badjie and other GAF personnel who were offering close protection to ex-President Yahya Jammeh went with him to Equatorial Guinea following his shock defeat in the 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow.

It could be recalled that former Brigadier General Ansumana Tamba and Brigadier General Umpa Mendy who also went with Yahya Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea returned to the country in 2018.

However, they were immediately arrested by Gambian security personnel upon their arrival from exile. They went through the Court-martial and later got free. 

Army spokesperson, Captain Malick Sanyang, has confirmed the arrival of Gen. Saul Badjie and 14 others, saying: “General Saul Badjie and other GAF officials who are part of the 15 people that returned from exile are currently being processed by Gambians authorities.”

“They have all returned home safe and sound and right now they have been lodged and necessary administrative procedures are being followed. We are currently doing the administrative things in order to tell us what to do next. What is important here is to tell people that they are not received as people that pose a threat or the like.”