Gambia's drug czar axed
By Ismaila M.S.Naban
BANJUL, Gambia-Following the spate of sackings in Gambia’s security echelons, the head of the country's National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), Mr. Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, his deputy, as well as the Agency's Commissioner of Operations, also have been dismissed. As usual, no reason (s) were made public of their dismissals.

Only a short press release from the Office of the President and read over the Gambia Radio and Television Services, informed the public that Mr. Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, Executive Director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), Mr. Karamo Bojang, Deputy Director NDEA, and Mr. Ousman Sanneh, Commissioner of Operations, NDEA ‘are dismissed from the agency with effect from Friday, 5th March 2010’.

The country's Tactical Support Unit (TSU) manning the security of the Tourism Development Area (TDA) is said to be no longer under the purview of the Republican National Guards instead is now under the Ministry of the Interior.

The dismissal of the Drug Enforcement boss and his deputy came after the dismissal by the President of the Gambia, of the Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana, and the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Brigadier General Yankuba Drammeh.

In the meantime, some of the dismissed security officials, including the one-time powerful Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ensa Badjie, are said to be under detention.
It could be recalled that the Ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Langtombong Tamba, who was removed earlier, is still said to be under detention.

The Gambia government is not making any comment about the reported arrests and detentions.

The dismissed NDEA boss was previously Secretary General of the Youth Front Against Drugs and Alcohol Abuse, and in 1995 he was appointed a member of the National Drug Control Council.

He was later appointed as Coordinator of the National Drug Control Council, and later Executive Director.

The NDEA was established by an Act of Parliament in 2005 to inter alia, prevent and uncover crimes related to illegal drugs.

The penalty for drug possession or trafficking in the Gambia now attracts heavy fines and custodial sentences ranging from D250,000 to one million dalasis or 10 years imprisonment, or more.

The most common drugs problem in the Gambia is locally grown called Marijuana, which is easily accessible to the youth folk.

Meanwhile, the Gambian leader, Sheikh Professor Yahya Jammeh avowed that his government would not allow the country to be another narcotic state.

"I have zero tolerance for criminals. I have double zero tolerance for drugs. Drugs and murder are synonymous," the President was heard saying this week at State, while officiating the swearing-in ceremony of some newly appointed superior Court judges, which was aired by the national broadcaster, the GRTS.
 
The Gambian leader condemned drugs, saying where you have drugs "you have violence and you have a total state of anarchy which is unacceptable".

He therefore warned his government would never allow a few individuals to destabilise this West African nation in whatever form, also pointing out that his intention is to make sure that they build a decent society; a society of decent human beings; a society where there is respect; a society where African values are respected.