(JollofNews)- Authorities in the Gambia have exhumed the bodies of four foreign based Gambian dissidents who were killed in December 2014 while trying to topple the former regime of Yahya Jammeh.
The decomposing bodies of Lamin Sanneh, Jaja Nyass, Njaga Jagne and Dawda Bojang were dug out of a secret burial place in Tintiba Forest, a swampy area near the Dumbuto Firing Range, north-west of Bwiam.
The men who belonged to the Gambia Freedom League, were part of a group that entered the small West African nation on 30th December 2014 with the expectation that others in the country would join and assist them to overthrow Mr Jammeh’s regime. But as they attempted to storm the presidential palace, they were met with heavy gunfire from security forces, squashing the coup, and killing Lamin Sanneh, Jaja Nyass, Njaga Jagne and Dawda Bojang.
Their bodies were kept in the mortuary of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, for over three years before being hastily buried a few months ago in an unmarked grave.
The dissidents spent over US$200,000 on multiple firearms, including M4 semi-automatic rifles, night-vision goggles, body armor, ammunition, black military style uniform pants, boots, and other personal equipment which they shipped to the Gambia for use in the coup attempt.
They said their aim was to toppled Mr Jammeh’s regime, restore democracy and the rule of law in the country.
But the Jammeh regime had accused them of being criminals who wanted to destabilise the country.
The regime said documents retrieved from the dissidents after the attack have revealed their plan to arrest and kill service chiefs and other high-ranking and prominent individuals in the country.
It added that the attack was also well-planned and the dissidents had intended to destroy key infrastructures including the Central Bank of the Gambia building, Denton Bridge, Gamtel House, Kotu Power Station among other national assets.
Following Mr Jammeh’s shocked defeat in last December’s election, the new Gambian regime has lauded the dissidents and the country’s Foreign Minister, Ousainou Darboe, has described them as heroes.
The government has also freed all those who were jailed for their role in the coup. All serving security officers who were also jailed for colluding with the coup plotters have also been reinstated to their positions.
What a sad day for their families. But at last they can say their proper good byes. May their souls rest in eternal peace.
An established path is emerging of how bodies of victims were disposed of from Ecowas travellers {mainly Ghanians} to Leading Political activists to soldiers. Also where landmines were situated/
This does not bode well for the tourism industry as landmines and bodies in secret unmarked graves sends shivers down the spine.
One trusts the government to offer a burial for these brave soldiers/patriots to receive a full military funeral with honours. We must also gauge the reaction{ if any} from The American Ambassador. To the growing total of American citizens meeting horror deaths on Gambian soil.
Usually the unlawful killing of any American citizen comes with a high tariff. Without discrimination.
Absolutely, they deserve to be honored a military funeral yet to say the least. They are brave soldiers, patriots and heroes of a kind for the Gambia. Trying the survivors too in the United States for a violation of a neutrality act has prevailed to be a total controversy. They are soldiers admired by the multitudes of a nation.
Heart felt condolence to the families of the fallen.
May their souls rest in perfect peace. Ameen.