The visit by the TRRC to the headquarters of the National Intelligence Agency has exposed gross misconduct and tampering with evidence. Yet it is several days now and the Office of the President has uttered no word and took no action about the state of affairs at the NIA. Why?
NIA is under the Office of the President. Therefore the presidency takes full responsibility for what happens inside and by the NIA. Following the ousting of tyranny out of our country and knowing the abominable role The NIA played in that dark chapter of our history it is therefore utterly and painfully shocking that anyone will take the issue of the NIA for granted!
Apparently none is doing that more than the President of The Republic himself who was elected by the people with a mandate to protect the fundamental rights of Gambians which includes to ensure that public institutions and officials are held accountable.
Amazingly by failing to address the gross misconduct by the DG of the NIA in concealing and wiping evidence that concerns the very lives of Gambians it means the President has now made himself a party to such gross violations and negligence of duty thus becoming a threat to national security! Otherwise why should it take the President even 24 hours to interdict, if not sack the entire leadership of the NIA for their abuse of office?
One would have thought that the President would have closed down the NIA the first day he took his oath of office! But not only did he fail to take that right decision rather he went ahead to allow the demolition and remodeling of the structures and to leave the NIA in tact with the same leadership and rank and file!
Everyone knows that the NIA was an abominable place where Gambians were insulted, beaten, electrocuted, stabbed, slapped, raped and killed! Yet the President and the leadership of the NIA decided to erase that evidence of their atrocious history by changing the structures!
Where did the resources come that were used to demolish and construct new structures? Who approved the destruction and construction of buildings in that premises which is a state property? In other words did the DG NIA seek Government approval before pulling down any structure or building any structure within a public premises as required by law?
No one has authority to unilaterally sell, destroy or change a Government property of any kind without first seeking approval from the right authority? Did the DG send any request to the President seeking to demolish and construct new structures within the NIA offices? If so did the President give approval or not? Both the President and DG Sowe must answer to this question?
Now that TRRC raised genuine concerns what will Pres. Barrow do about the NIA for their gross misconduct in tampering with evidence?
There must accountability!
Madi, the odious and gut wrenching NIA must go!!
The unauthorized remodeling and sprucing up of buildings on top of sorry and mediocre attempts at image building will not change the public’s perception of the NIA that I refuse to call the SIS. What intelligence?
Apparently when Wisainou and Haadama assumed the mantle of leadership, they sat down at the table to take stock of what benefits could be derived out of keeping the NIA intact. One of which may have been the furtherance of terror tactics, political gain and “Dinding Silandi Rango”.
Now that the tea leaves tell us that Wisainou and Haadama are heading towards a fall out, one party may perceive the NIA as a worthy asset to keep for political gain albeit at great and unworthy expense to our nation.
The fact is that the NIA rank and file that were and still complicit in upholding the terror machine are still in place at taxpayer expense.
It’s about time for this government to stop spending good money after bad.
Disband the NIA, sort the Millet from the chaff and redirect resources of value worth retaining to the other services.
Kumo Taata A Naata, A Bay Mu Nying Neti!!!
Give the job of intelligence gathering to the Police. This one needs to go.
What is “intelligence” there to gather or process? What are the qualifications and specializations of personnel in those holes of a crook and criminal’s hang out, apart from their trained skills in torture and pulling the trigger of a gun? Do we consider the required qualifications and kind of experiences that various employees of a national/state intelligence agency/services should have? Under normal circumstances, you need the most honest, intelligent, educated, specialized and experienced citizens to work in an agency/services whose duty is to gather intelligence on general national security matters. Imagine having the dumbest of persons employed at state/national “intelligence” ..