NIA Advance Team At The Airport Waiting For Abdoukarim Sanneh!!!

….NIA Agent Says The President Has A Special Interest In Abdoukarim’s Arrest!!!

By Staff Writer Fatoumatta Barry and Famara Jammeh, Banjul.

An advance party team, consist of personnel of the National Intelligence Agency and state guard solders, are currently on standby duty at the Banjul International Airport, patiently awaiting to receive Abdoukarim Sanneh, a fierce critic of President Jammeh, who is currently placed on deportation hearing by the UK Government, the Freedom Newspaper can authoritatively report. The NIA agents have been on an heightened alert, following news reports that Mr. Sanneh has been billed to attend a 72 hours fast track deportation hearing by the British Government. If Deported, Mr. Sanneh is likely to be killed or  jailed for life, well placed intelligence sources in Banjul informed the Freedom Newspaper. Sources said the advance team have been assigned to arrest and detain Abdoukarim Sanneh, as soon as he touches the Gambian soil. The President Yahya Jammeh was said to have ordered the security agents to embark on standby duty pending the determination of the removal proceedings instituted against Sanneh by the British Home office.

This reporter visited the Airport late Sunday evening and found a team of NIA agents and members of the State guards. One of the NIA agents, who spoke to our reporter said they were on a special mission. “ We have been assigned to arrest Abdoukarim Sanneh. Our men have been here for the past two three days. The State guards are here to give us backup. The President has a special interest in Sanneh’s arrest. He said he does not want to see a repeat of the Sheriff Bojang junior’s case, where he was allowed to go home and asked to report to the agency the next day. This time around he wants Karim to be taken straight to the Mile Two prison,.” said the NIA operative.

According to our source, the President Yahya Jammeh has been on constant touch with the intelligent officials on the ground. The source said flights coming from the United Kingdom were being exposed to random inspection by the NIA agents. “ We are in touch with aviation officials. We always request for a copy of the new arrivals before the plane arrives. Over twenty NIA agents are taking part in this operation to  arrest Abdoukarim Sanneh,.”said the NIA agent.

Abdoukarim Sanneh has been living in the UK for over seven years. He recently completed his Masters Degree at the Bolton University. Sanneh  was arrested at the first appearance of his asylum interview. The Home office is yet to buy his story that his return to The Gambia in the short term might pose as a direct threat to his life.

Mr. Sanneh who was on a student visa status, recently filed asylum in the UK. His application premise on the worsening human rights situation in The Gambia and also as a potential wanted Government dissident. But the Home office rejected his claim. He is now facing a deportation hearing.

His arrest attracted a lot of attention. Many here are with the view that deporting Abdoukarim Sanneh to The Gambia, tantamount to extending an invitation to the Jammeh Government to harm the rights activist.

Gambians residing in the Diaspora have called Mr. Sanneh at his detention center, expressing solidarity with him. They also appeal to the British authorities to grant Mr. Sanneh sanctuary, in view of the precarious human rights situation in The Gambia.