#Headlines

Senegalese officers open fire at Pallol after handcuffing Gambians

Jan 18, 2023, 12:39 PM | Article By: Ousman Jallow in CRR

Senegalese security officers have allegedly entered Pallo, a Gambian village in Niani District, Central River Region north, and raided a compound, a source told The Point.

During the raid, they attacked one Sering Njie and his wife after accusing him of buying a stolen motorbike from a Senegalese national.

They reportedly opened fire, handcuffed Mr. Njie and wife and allegedly took over two million CFA and a specified amount of Gambian dalasis from him.

They also allegedly took money from Mr. Njie’s mother and beat up his pregnant wife who ended up having a miscarriage”.

According to Njie, the Senegalese man was arrested after selling the motorbike and was escorted to his compound where they forcefully woke him up and his family at 5 a.m.

He added that they loaded the motorbike in a pickup and went away with it.

“They first asked me for money and initially I thought they were armed robbers dressed in Senegalese police uniform. They took all my money and that of my mother after threatening to kill her if she did not give them all the money she had,” he narrated.

He said when they attempted to arrest and take him and his wife to Senegal there was a commotion as villagers came to the scene. “It was at this moment that they opened fire several times and disappeared,” he said.

He explained that the handcuffs were so tight that Gambian police officers at Fridawsi Police Station could not un-cuff them. They had to be taken to a welder at Ndingirai for removal.

Mr. Njie said the Gambia Police Force launched an investigation into the matter but later told him that they did not know if Pallol village is in The Gambia or in Senegal.

He also explained that the police told him the man who sold him the motorbike was caught with marijuana but Mr. Njie maintained that he only bought a motorbike from him.

According to eyewitnesses, their lives and properties are at risk, claiming that it is illegal for foreign forces to forcefully enter the country, ambush Gambian citizens at gunpoint and take their properties from them.

They described Mr. Njie as a businessman who is not involved in illegal activities.

They appealed to the Gambia government to protect and stand for its citizens against foreign attackers.