Two decades after the brutal killing of 44 Ghanaians on Gambian soil, the families of the victims are once again calling on both the Gambian and Ghanaian governments to deliver long-overdue justice and compensation.
At a press conference held in Accra on Tuesday to mark 20 years since the killings, the Association of Families of the 44 Victims expressed deep frustration over what they say has been years of silence and inaction from both sides.
“Despite the unlawful and tragic nature of the killings, justice has still not been served,” said Emmanuel Gershon Oduro-Mensah, spokesperson for the group. “We are yet to see any real accountability or reparations.”
The victims mainly young men believed to be travelling toward Europe were arrested and executed by Gambian security agents in July 2005 during the rule of former President Yahya Jammeh. The killings sparked outrage across the region, especially in Ghana, but to this day, no one has been prosecuted.
In 2021, The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) concluded that the killings were state-sanctioned and recommended justice and reparations. However, the families say those recommendations remain largely unfulfilled.
“We call on the governments of Ghana and The Gambia to take immediate steps to ensure justice and reparations for the families of the victims,” said Oduro-Mensah. “There must be a full and independent investigation into what happened, and the families deserve compensation.”
He also urged the international community to stand with them. “We strongly urge the international community to support our demand for justice and accountability regarding this tragic incident,” he added.
For many Gambians, the 2005 killings remain one of the darkest moments of the Jammeh era. The TRRC found that the migrants were mistaken for mercenaries and summarily executed by members of the notorious “Junglers,” a paramilitary hit squad loyal to Jammeh.
While President Adama Barrow’s government has committed to implementing the TRRC’s recommendations, victims’ groups both Gambian and foreign say progress has been too slow.
Human rights defenders in The Gambia have also called for more transparency from the Ministry of Justice and stronger political will to prosecute those responsible, including former security officials still living freely in the country.
The families in Ghana say they have waited long enough.
“We will not give up,” Oduro-Mensah said. “Twenty years is a long time, but we will keep speaking out until justice is done.”
