Tension heightens in Gambia as exiled Jammeh’s supporters are arrested

No less than 50 supporters of ex-President Yahya Jammeh have been arrested by police in Gambia for harassing followers of newly sworn-in leader Adama Barrow amid heightened tension.

According to police officials, the 51 supporters of Jammeh were arrested on Sunday in the western town of Kafenda, a Jammeh stronghold, for insulting people returning from Barrow’s inauguration celebration at the national stadium on Saturday.

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Police spokesman Foday Conta revealed that twenty-six of the arrested were juveniles and were released on bail, while 25 were being detained pending an investigation.

Seedy Njie, spokesman for the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), Jammeh’s party when he was in power, said those arrested were APRC supporters and were wearing t-shirts bearing an image of Jammeh’s face.

“They were provoked by the supporters of the coalition (Barrow’s party) who were calling Jammeh all sorts of names and saying he was a killer. Then a quarrel ensued,” he said.

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