(JollofNews) – Nigeria has deployed its newest warship, the NNS Unity, to the Gambia ahead of a planned military intervention to enforce the outcome of last month’s presidential election results.
The warship which was constructed by the China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Limited (CSOIL) will play a vital role in helping a Senegal led force topple the Gambian regime of Yahya Jammeh if he refuses to step down at the end of his term on January 18th.
Mr Jammeh, 51, who has governed the Gambia since July 1994 is refusing to relinquish power to opposition candidate Adama Barrow, the surprised winner of last month’s election.
He has accused the country’s electoral commission of rigging the election in favour of the opposition.
His attempt to overturn the election result at the Supreme Court has been delayed because of a shortage of judges as most of the judges come from neighbouring countries.
The regional group, Ecowas, which tried unsuccessfully to convince Mr Jammeh to handover power peacefully has warned of serious consequences if Mr Barrow’s is blocked on Thursday.
Mr Barrow is currently in Senegal and is due back in Banjul for the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.
And ahead of the ceremony, a Nigerian military source told the BBC Monitoring’s Africa security correspondent, Tomi Oladipo, that the warship has left the commercial capital, Lagos and is currently sailing off the coast of
Mr Jammeh has described any military intervention as an act of aggression and has vowed to defend the territorial sovereignty of the Gambia.
Its pure evil what he is doing to his so called country The Gambia. What a total disgrace he is doing to the country. Any right minded person would accept the defeat as Gambians know he was in power for far too long and got voted out, accept it, your time is up and let the new take over. We want to see change for the better. Who does he think he is frightening a whole country from their freedom. People are hungry, suffering, taking away electricty, water, international calls to and from loved ones. He should leave the country alone and go and do whatever he likes in a next planet because looking at this mans records no other country on earth would want a piece of scum like him distroying their beloved country. Your not wanted get out of here while you still can.
Jammeh will face travel ban and his enablers asset freeze will follow and his tribe men who dont do enough to stop him from this crazyness will suffer becauze they fail to act.
It sounds humorous that Jammerh is defiant and mischievous to the whole world.
Does he think he can fight the whole world? He is blurred
He is another 2PAC “Me against the world”
I think he wants to take some people along his demise. He should wonder after his last breath, will he rest?
If you rattle a snake, be prepared to be bitten. All our pleas on Jammeh from all corners of the World have fallen on deaf ears. Nonetheless, its never too late to make the right decision,
When I told my African brothers that we Nigerians are solidly behind them, I wasn’t kidding. The good people of Gambia has spoken through the ballot and their choices must be respected in a democracy. Whatever grievances or dispute Jammeh has with the electoral body should be brought forward in a court of competent jurisdiction where it will be debated and settled through dialogue and hard compromises on the negotiation table.
Nigeria will not sit back and allow one man’s selfish political ambitious cost the lives and properties of innocent hard-working Gambians especially the aged, women and children.
Our latest warship “NNS Unity” is sailing to the Gambia and on-board is ECOMIG NIBATT 1&2, a battle tested and trusted Nigerian special forces drawn from the 19th Battalion. I want to assure the good people of Gambia that like other African dictators in Jammeh’s mold, he will be kicked out, arrested and prosecuted after which peace will be restored to the Gambia.
Make no mistake, this operation will be fierce, swift and surgical. I also pray that the good people of Gambia cooperate with our men in uniform so that peace will be restored in the Gambia in the least possible time.
This is our sacrifice for peace in the Gambia. Long live the Gambia. With love from Nigeria.
Gerald:
Thank you brother Gerald. I’m a Gambian currently away, but thinking of my family and all the Gambians and foreigners back home. I appreciate all the Nigerians and Africans helping us in this situation. GOD bless you all.
Well, it isn’t a US Nuclear Aircraft Carrier but it still should have the same effect!
what is Nigeria strategic interest in Gambia? Why send your men to Gambia? what is our interest.
[p]Heavenly advice I can list a thousand and one Nigeria’s strategic interest in Gambia but let’s look beyond Gambia and start looking at the threat of instability in the entire sub-region should there be a civil war in Gambia. You’ll recall that it was the weapons of war from Libya, Central African Republic and other African countries that found its way into Nigeria and in the hands of Boko Haram.[/p][p]
Peace, stability and prosperity in Gambia and the sub-region is of vital interest to Nigeria and we’ll do anything humanly possible to achieve that for the love of humanity. [/p][p]
Nigeria will never again sit back and allow the mistake of Rwanda repeat itself in Gambia, it was a regrettable incident that still hunts us till this day. We could have done something, like a military intervention before it got out of hand. Never again!![/p][p]
No man’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Gambian. [/p][p]
Long live the Gambia. With love from Nigeria.
We want Peace in west africa.
Thanks Gerald, come rain come sun, we are behind Gambia, he must go not only go, must be arrested and charged for disturbing the peace of Gambia people.
Mr hevenly advice the interest of Nigeria are so many 1 there are about 100000 Nigerian citizens living in the country 2 there are Nigerian banks there and also Nigerians have invested heavily in the country. And when you talk about Nigerians in diaspora sending money home niger people for Gambia are one of them.
I do not support any military intervention in Gambia. It would set the gambia 100 years backward. This is purely Gambian internal affair. Nigeria should not be used by Britain to destroy Gambia out of mere hatred for Jammeh
Heavenly Advice, should Jammeh destroy Gambia just out of hatred for Mandinkas?
This intervention would set one tribe against another. Gambia would possibly never be the same again after the intervention, because, this is a declaration of war against the Gambia. This would lead to inter tribal war in the Gambia.
Heavenly Advice can you please explain a bit more how this is a declaration of war on Gambia? There would not be a tribal war if Jammeh did not want it to be. But even if Jammeh makes this a tribal war, I can assure you that when all is over and done with Gambians will learn to live in peace with each other because the only place we all call home is the Gambia. Tribal issues were only brought into Gambian politics by Jammeh. Jammeh came to power by overthrowing a Mandinka president with the help and support of all tribes but now Jammeh hates all tribes including Jolas. Sometimes I wonder if Jammeh is actually a Jola because he doesn’t have the good qualities that I know of Jolas. The Jola qualities of hard work, content, honesty, trustworthiness, diligent, selflessness, not being possessive, not envious, family oriented and loyalty cannot be found in Jammeh. However he has successfully played on two of these qualities very well to have and maintain absolute support from the Jolas despite his overt despise of Jolas. Those qualities are family and loyalty. Jammeh knows that any pure Jola would be willing to lay their life for family and loyalty so he tells them that he is family and points at the Jolas that he has put in positions of power and tells them to be loyal to him because it’s only him who will give any of their sons a job. What he diverts their attention from is that he is holding the highest office in the land courtesy of all the tribes in the Gambia. I believe that Gambia and Gambians will be united again after Jammeh just as we did after Kukoi.
For 22yrs heavenly adviser one person has been sitting on the office of the presidency. What are you saying?
War is not the First answer to Seattle a Dispute but this evil Monster calling himself with all Kind of rubbish titlesa and thinking tat he tue strongest ans bravest man on earth must kicked out mercilessly. He habe no heart for Gambia People ans he think he owns Gambia.
Out Brothers in Afrika will not leg this Vampire to Drink Gambians blood. Nigeria habe NEVER Harm US instand Assistent US in all ways since.
Jammer is waging war on out peace loving Nation just fort him to hang on power. He does not care of women,children and elderly who are running for safety living everything behind. We Gambians Don’t know voilence. He have no mercy for the sick who cannot run to safety.
Jammeh is a disgrace to Africa.May Allah hell him Change his mind and Hand over as early as tomorrow.
I wonder why jammeh is so intransigent. I had all along thought he will give in but now I know better. He will only leave if there is serious threat of or actual use of force
All dictators are sociopath and they reason alike. Just like the life they have lived, all they understand is the use of force. Diplomacy is a sign of weakness to a dictator especially one with a military background.
Samuel Doe ruled his people with an iron fist. All diplomatic channel was used to exhaustion trying to appeal to him to see reasons to relinquish power but No, he’ll have none of that. He wouldn’t relinquish power even when he was literally seeing the war from his window across the street. He sat tight like a village king on a throne until the war got to his doorsteps. Ol’ Samuel Doe was captured, tortured and eliminated.
Murmah Gaddafi of Libya was another dictator who refused to see reasons with other African leaders until he was captured and killed by the use of force.
Mobutu sasa seko, Idi Amin Dada and many more African dictators suffered the same fate and Jammeh is not any different. He will surely suffer the same fate I tell you. It’s a little too late now.
Does Jammeh think he can remain in office after ECOWAS, AU, and the United Nations said he would be removed if he refuses to leave office? Unfortunately, innocent Gambians will be inconvenienced if not killed in the process of removing the dictator.
War is a crime you can’t kill innocent people specially kids and women’s for the shit power,The politicians are cowardly murderers have fled to birmingham and Dakar while they continue calling to give the face that without embarrassment when they return? When ecowas finishes with the young people of the country? What is a war worth ???killing innocent people destroying houses and businesses for nothing?? Why not going back to polls??? Polls or innocent lives? Shame politicians
@#Peace= Why go back to the polls? Why not ask the dictator to leave office when his term expires? You smell bias my brother. What is the guarantee that Jammeh will leave power if he loss again? Or is it only when Jammeh wins that the election is adjudged free and fair.
Jammeh MUST leave power either willingly or through the use of force so that the President elect can claim the mandate given to him by the good people of Gambia. I don’t care what his grievances are, whatever dispute he has with the electoral body should be settled afterwards in the court of law.
Nigeria stands with the Gambia people on their right to choose who they want to lead them and their choice must be respected. If you think Jammeh is the best person for the job, that’s fine, but you’ll have to wait for the next election.
I don’t like my President either, I didn’t vote for him and I’ll never vote for him even at gun point but unfortunately Nigeria is a democracy and the majority of the people choose to employ an old illiterate cow herder as our President. Without a choice I have to respect their decision but I’m waiting patiently to vote out the focilized dinosaur of a President we currently have in Nigeria come 2019.
Be like me my Gambian brother, support your President-Elect until the next election.
@# Gerald= I’m a Gambian, and I absolutely agree with you my brother. Ecowas is doing the right thing. If nothing is done about this, it will be the funeral of Democracy in the Sub-Region and the continent of Africa as a whole.
Do not let this people come to Gambia with war .They bomb their own refugee camp by mistake hopefully they don’t drop thoses bombs in Senegal .
Am just saying .
@Mamadou Senegalese ground troop will lead the invasion into Banjul. Nigeria will provide coastal and air support while our special forces will deploy from the air into ground zero.
ECOMIG will secure the perimeter when the capital and Jammeh has been captured and peace will be return to the people of Gambia.
Jammeh must face criminal justice at the African Union if the invasion cost as little as one life. No political horse trading will save Jammeh from the hangman’s rope. We shall protest day and night in Nigeria and we will not stop until justice is served.
BTW The bombing of the refugee camp is a regrettable incident, it is one of the scars of war and the more reason why we’ll not allow Gambia tip over into chaos.
I’m Gambian and I love my country I don’t see any reason , I can’t understand why innocent people have to pay with their lives because of Jammeh if Nigerians are coming to kill innocent people for nothing .im sorry I don’t vote in my life I’m
not interested in politics i can’t trust politicians specially African leaders Jammeh have to go but I think no any Gambian should pay for that , this war can take years if expressing my opinion mean I’m voting for jammeh ? you okay? sound strange
@#Peace= I’m lost for words because i cannot guarantee the safety of innocent people. Please know that Nigeria is not coming to start a war in Gambia or kill innocent people. On the contrary, it’s Jammeh waging a war against the good people of Gambia and Nigeria is only coming to restore the peace.
If we sit back and do nothing, what happened in Kigali will repeat itself, that is, the President will use his loyal army to kill and arrest opposition party members, suppress opposing voices and impose his will on the people to cling on to power. Even the supreme court cannot help you as there will be no judge to give a fair ruling for fear of his/her personal safety.
We have had our fair share of military dictatorship from 1964-1999 and it was brutal so I know what I’m talking about. Jammeh has less than 24 hours to leave office else there will be serious military and political consequences.
#peace= You have just lost all credibility to comment on this issue as a peace loving Gambian when you confess that you have never voted in your life, unless you want to say that you left the Gambia before reaching the voting age and that you don’t have the legal right to vote where you are currently living. You cannot say you do not condone the use of force to remove Jammeh from power but at the same time you do not use the peaceful means as well, voting. And unless it escapes your mind people chose peace by voting him out but he is refusing to go. The use of force is a last resort. The choice is his, leave peacefully or forcefully.
Capturing jammeh with no blood is ok great but we all know African forces with no western help they zero nothing only rappers robbers I don’t trust them right now people are dying I’m Banjul central hospital because doctors and nurses are running away innocent people lying in hospital with no help and no one think or talk about them, seriously war is mess rubbish no words
Those very doctors and nurses who are running away have warned Jammeh to step down because the health services cannot cope with any extra pressure but he didn’t listen.
Really Gambia don’t know what is the payment of war.by the time this ecowas people are done in the Gambia.we the gambians will ever regret it.Cause. Many innocent lives will be gone.
It’s so sad.
War is not a solution to a problem
The people of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gabon and many other African countries are enjoying their peace courtesy of ECOWAS intervention while those in Rwanda and Burundi wished that ECOWAS intervened.
Your subtle threat is to dissuade ECOWAS from intervening so that you can go on a killing spree killing opposition and people from minority tribe. Never going to happen my brother.
Long live the Gambia
With love from Nigeria.
@Gerald= My brother you are right and we love you. Don’t waste you time and energy on those Brothers and sisters who are against the Ecowas intervention. I truely support it and is the right think to do.