A former member of the Gambia Armed Forces, Abdoulie Sanyang, has alleged that he helped prevent an assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Adama Barrow during the 2016 political campaign.
Speaking on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on West Coast Radio, Sanyang, who also describes himself as a civilian detective for the U.S. Embassy in Banjul at the time, claimed he bribed operatives loyal to former president Yahya Jammeh to abandon a plan to kill Barrow at a rally in Bakau. He said he and his associates were involved in organizing civilian security for Barrow’s campaign.
He further disputed President Barrow’s assertion that he alone financed the opposition coalition that defeated Jammeh. According to Sanyang, Gambians in the diaspora made significant contributions to the coalition’s campaign funds. He called on former coalition leaders, including Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang, Mai Ahmad Fatty and Ousainou Darboe, to confirm the role of diaspora financing.
Sanyang accused Barrow of dismissing Gambians abroad as “Jaini bai” (goat’s tail) and claimed the president referred to them as “big mouths” whose opinions carried little weight.
The former soldier also criticized Agriculture Minister Demba Sabally, questioning his absence during the April 10-11, 2000 student protests when security forces opened fire on demonstrators.
He alleged that State House soldiers disguised themselves as civilians during the crackdown and named Ansumana Tamba as one of those involved.
Sanyang said the government’s failure to uphold the coalition’s three-year transitional agreement had undermined international confidence, despite donor support pledged in Brussels in 2018. He also expressed doubt over Barrow’s pledge to provide nationwide electricity by 2025.
“The people who invested in the coalition knew who Barrow is,” Sanyang concluded.
