Former members of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) have made a strong presence during the massive weekend cleansing of the periphery of former president Yahya Jammeh’s residence in Kanilai, Hon. Kebba Toumanding Sanneh, sitting for Foni Jarrol in the Gambia’s legislature, told JollofNews Sunday.
Following Jammeh’s exit in 2017, military officers and soldiers, who were close to the former president, were either summarily dismissed from the army while others left on their own volition, regarding themselves as “conscientious objectors”.
Hon. Sanneh informed JollofNews that ex-soldiers and officers of the Gambia’s military came in huge numbers to partake in the cleansing exercise at the periphery of the former president’s residence.
“A lot of ex-soldiers were at the cleansing exercise,” the Foni Jarrol legislator told JollofNews.
Meanwhile, Hon. Sanneh cannot still come to terms with the dismissal from the military of former army general Musa Savage and other officers close to Jammeh.
“Savage was dismissed just like that,” Sanneh wondered. “Another officer [Major Alieu Sowe], who was managing the Kanilai Farm, was also summarily dismissed from the army,” he complained.
Mr. Musa Savage, who was said to be quite instrumental in providing defense for the State House in the 2014 attack, left the army in 2017 at the rank of Brigadier General without any ceremony. Shortly after foiling the attempt on No.1 Marina Parade by Gambian dissidents; former US army sergeant Papa Faal, ex-US army captain Njaga Jagne, former Gambia gendarmerie sergeant Alajie Jaja Nyassi and former Gambian army officer Lt. Col. Lamin Sanneh, Savage was made the commander of the then newly-created anti-terrorism unit of the GAF.
Three attackers fell in the State House attack while others, including US army First Lieutenant Alagie Saidy Barrow, who fled his flank in cowardice, escaped.
Many saw Gen. Savage’s subsequent elevation as a compensation for his “frontline role” in defending State House from falling into the hands of the attackers.
However, Hon. Kebba Toumanding Sanneh “is unhappy that Savage and others have been forced out of the profession that they love and know best”.
