BANJUL, Gambia (FN) — The Gambian government has reiterated its commitment to arrest and prosecute exiled former president Yahya Jammeh if he returns to the country, following his announcement that he plans to come back in November.
Jammeh, who ruled the West African nation from 1994 to 2017, is accused of widespread human rights abuses and misappropriation of state funds. He fled to Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after losing the presidential election to Adama Barrow and facing pressure from regional leaders to step down.
“If and when Mr. Jammeh returns, robust legal processes will be activated,” the Ministry of Information said Tuesday. “This will include investigation, arrest, and prosecution, with a guarantee of due process, fair trial standards, and respect for the rights of all involved.”
The statement followed a rally on Sunday in Jammeh’s hometown of Kanilai, where supporters played an audio message in which the former leader declared his intention to return. The government dismissed claims that Jammeh had a memorandum of understanding or immunity deal. “No such agreement exists,” the ministry said.
President Adama Barrow, speaking through his spokesperson, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to justice and reconciliation. “The rule of law must prevail. No one is above accountability, and the victims of past abuses deserve closure,” the statement read.
Civil society groups welcomed the government’s stance. Fatou Jagne, director of a regional human rights organization, said, “Jammeh’s return must not be allowed to derail the democratic gains made since 2017. The government must act decisively and transparently.”
The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), which investigated abuses during Jammeh’s rule, found that between 240 and 250 people were killed by the state. The commission also documented extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and witch hunts. In 2022, Barrow’s government pledged to prosecute 70 individuals named in the TRRC report, including Jammeh.
Regional observers have expressed concern about the potential destabilizing impact of Jammeh’s return. “This is a test of Gambia’s democratic resilience,” said a senior ECOWAS official who requested anonymity. “The region must support Gambia in upholding justice and preventing impunity.”
Despite the absence of an extradition treaty between Equatorial Guinea and The Gambia, Jammeh continues to wield influence through loyalists and his faction of the former ruling party.
While West Africa has seen a wave of military coups since 2020, The Gambia has remained on a path toward democratic consolidation. The country of two million people is classified among the world’s least developed nations by the United Nations.
