Foreign National Arrested with Unlicensed Pistol, Magazines, and Ammunition
Inspector General of Police Seedy Mukhtar
By Edward Francis Dalliah
The Gambia Police Force reported on 16th January 2025, that a joint security patrol arrested a 61-year-old foreign national for possession of an unlicensed firearm and prohibited drugs.
According to the police, the operation initially uncovered ten wraps of cannabis, which led officers to the suspect’s residence. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of “additional cannabis, an unlicensed pistol (PT 111 G2 9mm), two magazines, and 82 rounds of live ammunition.”
While The Gambia has long been known for its peace and stability, recent years have seen a rise in criminal activities, particularly gun-related crimes. In September 2023, a gunman ambushed paramilitary officers along the Sukuta-Jabang Highway, killing two male officers and wounding a female officer.
In January 2024, the Anti-Crime Unit arrested a 53-year-old man for allegedly threatening violence with an unlicensed pistol at Dalaba Estate. The following month, two gunmen attacked a businessman in Fajara, further heightening public concern over the country’s security situation.
This apparent increase in crime has impacted The Gambia’s ranking in the Global Peace Index. The country dropped from 45th out of 168 countries in 2022 to 59th in 2023 and further declined to 82nd in 2024. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, The Gambia, which ranked 3rd from 44 in 2022 and slipped to 12th in 2024.
Despite these trends, Inspector General of Police Seedy Muktar Touray maintained that crime is ‘steadily declining’ based on police ‘statistics’ during an appearance on Coffee Time at West Coast Radio on 21st January 2025, while emphasising the role of community policing in crime prevention.
Meanwhile, in January this year, the Gambia Police Force (GPF) reported a rise in gun-related crimes compared to the same period last year. Based on their reports, six separate armed robbery incidents were recorded within the month, highlighting an alarming trend. In one of these cases, a confrontation between the police and the attackers escalated into an exchange of gunfire, resulting in an officer sustaining injuries that were “not life-threatening,” according to the report.
This has made the National Assembly Member for Banjul North, Hon. Modou L. Bah, describe the recent string of army robberies as a “sad moment” for the country, as quoted by the Point Newspaper. Similarly, the United Democratic Party (UDP) issued a statement published by the Point Newspaper calling on the relevant stakeholders to act accordingly and “deploy all needed resources to arrest and reverse this most urgent situation.”
