With the seismic departure of Mod K. Ceesay, the now controversial Chief of Staff from the Office of the President, emerge fresh speculations with attention shifting to another senior figure, National Security Adviser, Abubacarr Suleiman Jeng, notoriously nicknamed “Chemical Ali” by former Police comrades, during Yahya Jammeh’s reign of terror.
According to multiple sources from both the Gambia Police Intelligence offices, and the National Intelligence Agency (SIS), the duo—Ceesay and Chemical Ali, were viewed as a close political pairing, almost inseparable. The two were said to consult frequently, and to operate as part of a small Fanana cabal that wielded influence behind the scenes, often to the discomfort or detriment of colleagues, and those at the lower echelon. While Chemical Ali could use sophisticated diplomatic skills (maslaha), even if he wanted to harm you, Mod acted like a traditional Chief with reckless abandon. “At one point, Mod K. Ceesay was so vindictive, and so intoxicated with power, that he may have totally forgotten, he was not the President,” alleged a former Director, who lost his job.
With Ceesay pushed out, SIS sources say the spotlight has shifted to Chemical Ali, raising questions about whether his own exit is imminent. “It is no longer a matter of if, but when,” one SIS citing several State House insiders told JollofNews.
The renewed scrutiny has also revived discussion of a controversial case from September this year, when several Chinese nationals were arrested along the Batokunku and Tujereng coastline, and later charged with cryptocurrency-related offenses. According to Police, the time of arrest, the suspects were reportedly renting property connected to Chemical Ali.
Security sources previously indicated that intelligence had flagged the suspects ahead of the arrests. There have since been claims that Chemical Ali had prior knowledge of the impending operation, and that he may have personally alerted authorities.
Supporters of that account argue that reporting the matter was the right thing to do. Critics, however, allege that he had earlier benefited financially from the tenants before turning them in. Those allegations have not been independently verified.
The Chinese nationals were eventually convicted by the Brikama Magistrates’ Court, a development that added further fuel to speculation about who knew what, and when, within the upper levels of government.
Like his disgraced associate, Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng is a figure with a long and controversial public profile. During his time in the Gambia Police Force, he earned his nickname for his reputation as a skilled investigator, though detractors accused him of using heavy-handed methods that often implicated so-called rivals within the police force. Admirers on the other hand, credit him with effectiveness and loyalty to Yahya Jammeh despite his harsh detention at Mile II by the dictator.
As of publication, there has been no official indication from the Presidency that Chemical Ali is facing removal or reassignment. Efforts by JollofNews to obtain comment from him or from State House remain unsuccessful.
For now, the halls of power remain abuzz with rumours and counter-rumours. Whether the fallout from Mod K. Ceesay’s departure will claim another high-profile figure is a question many in Banjul are watching closely, waiting to see how the President reshapes his inner circle in the days ahead.
