By Kumba Leigh
The Gambia Immigration Department (GID), led by the commissioner for West Coast Region, last week began a week-long awareness creation exercise in communities across the regions, targeting local authorities including Alkalolu , district chiefs, governors, and Village Development Committees’ on citizenship, national identification, residency issues and irregular migration.
The objective of the sensitisation activity is to strengthen cooperation, collaboration, and coordination, and help enlighten local authorities and other sister security apparatuses about the alien’s registration processes and procedures, the role of intelligence in enhancing national security, national identity card issuance and importance, citizenship and attestation, discipline and work ethics of security officers, operational efficiency and standard operating procedures, records keeping, entry requirements, proper supervision and productive information sharing, as well as impact of irregular migration.
In an interview with the Commissioner of West Coast Region, Gambia Immigration Department, Hamadi Jammeh, he explained that the exercise is part of their 2025 Sustainability Regional Work Plan and that it involves meeting with Immigration officers and local authorities. This, he added, also assists the commissioner to assess the living conditions, and challenges of security officers.
Additionally, he said they have observed that a lot of local authorities are not well-informed of their responsibilities when it comes to immigration documentation, attestations and their limitations. This, he said, is causing some problems.
Commissioner Jammeh believes that the sensitisation will enhance understanding of the laws governing immigration, identification documentations, as well as bridge the gap, build confidence and enhance trust between the immigration officers and the local authorities.
“Servicemen cannot be everywhere. We believe that any alien in The Gambia must reside in a compound. Therefore, compound owners should be vigilant and ensure the registration of aliens; if not, the law will take its course,” he cautioned.
ASI Malang Bojang, Admin Officer for West Coast Region, Gambia Immigration Department, disclosed that most crimes committed in the country, mainly in Kombo - “87%” - are done by aliens and that are mostly severe and exalted.
“It is serious for a non-native to be residing in a country and not registered, because that person’s identity is not known,” he stressed.
ASI Bojang made reference to the increasing capital crimes like arm robbery among others, describing as alarming.
Superintendent Bambo Conta, Officer Commanding Brusubi Police Division, Gambia Police Force, said immigration and crimes in some instances are related and sometimes the nature of the crimes committed is new and violent. He affirmed that most of the crimes happening in the country are alien to the cultures of The Gambia.
For his part, Sico Saikou Sanyang, Senior Immigration Control Officer, Banjulinding, Gambia Immigration Department, said the community has a role in informing the security on matters that threaten national security. He lamented the fact that The Gambia has lots of porous borders. He therefore encouraged communities to be vigilant and to inform the right authorities of any suspicious activities.
Alkalo of Sinchu Alagie, Salieu Ceesay, noted that there is a growing number of aliens in communities; thus the need for the local authorities to be educated on the processes and procedures expected of them in issuing out attestations and other documents.
The communities visited include: Welingara, Kalagi Village, Foni Bondali, Jarrol, Kansala, Bintang Karanai, Bwiam, Sibanor; Brikama North and South, Faraba Bantang in Kombo East, Gunjur Kombo South, Sanneh Mentereng District, Sukuta, Old Yundum, Busumbala, and Lamin village.
