The consistent police brutality in The Gambia underscores the gross failures of the security sector reform, particularly within the Gambia Police Force. This is merely the tip of the iceberg, and more brutalities will likely follow towards the 2026 presidential elections trajectory.
Every police officer originates from a family household and thus has a father, mother, sister, uncles, nephews, nieces, and children. So, if the formula were to be ‘you do me, I do you’, bundling citizens like bags of potatoes and inhumanely dumping them in a car without respect for human rights and dignity.
Those citizens know your families, as your every action has devastating consequences since some of these people may take the law into their own hands for revenge, as they would say that laws don’t work in The Gambia, and police who are supposed to protect citizens continue to violate fundamental rights and laws of the land in the pretext of an order from the top.
This order from the top, according to the IGP, Seedy Muctarr Touray, is solely and entirely from him. Manifestations against corruption and bad governance should not be a measure to clampdown on innocent civilians or consider or treat them as rebels. When shall the Gambia Police Force come to their senses and act professionally and rationally by dispensing the law according to the dictates of the constitution rather than carrying out illegal orders?
The GPF must also understand that Gambians are not against them but hate their unprofessionalism, and they despise corruption in almost every public institution. So, we’re not at war with the GPF but trying to make your jobs a lot easier for you. This is a tragedy to always violate your own citizens you’re supposed to protect. No police officer can make these illegal orders right.
You see, in a country where people become so dissatisfied with their law enforcement, the outcome is usually disastrous. It’s always shameful to speak about these things, but the time is now to change before it’s too late.
The Office of Human Rights and Professional Standards of GPF must investigate the right violations within the police force, even if it will cause them their jobs, but it’s the right thing to do. Who polices the police force whenever they acted illogically, irrationally, contrary to laws enshrined in our constitution? The actions of most GPF personnel are a threat to our national security and social cohesiveness. Fighting against corruption should be every religion’s sacred responsibility and empower whosoever champions such a cause.
The IGP is conflicted in decision-making, as he thinks everything in a tunnel-visioned, narrow-minded way, as people fighting against his in-law to undermine his hegemony. Command responsibility is what will prosecute the police leadership for lack of actions in punishing their own who continually violates human rights.
What role do our religious leaders play in witnessing these egregious violations unfold before their eyes on a daily basis? Their silence is truly shameful, contributing to a complicit society.
