(JollofNews) – Gambia’s minister of the Interior, Mai Ahmad Fatty, has denied reports that a curfew has been imposed in Kanilai following clashes between local residents and officers of the Senegal led military intervention force in the Gambia (Ecomig).
Mr Fatty was accused of imposing the curfew in former President Yahya Jammeh’s native village in contravention of the country’s constitution after thousands of Foni residents took to the streets and displayed banners calling for the immediate withdrawal of Ecomig soldiers in the area.
One man was killed and six others were injured when soldiers barricade the road and fired live ammunition at the protesters.
Although the Interior minister has vowed to take all necessary measures to safeguard the country’s peace, he said no curfew has been imposed in the area.
“I have no authority under law to either declare or impose a curfew in any part of the Gambia,” Mr Fatty wrote on his Facebook page.
“I did not declare or authorise the imposition of a curfew in any part of the Gambia.
“The Gambia Government has not imposed or declared a curfew in any part of the Gambia. If conditions existed that will trigger such declaration or imposition in any part of the country, textual procedures must be followed. As of now, no such conditions have been determined to have existed.”
It is unfortunate that Mai Fatty has even to deny this situation for which his explanation is of course reasonable and rational;