By Amadou Jadama on tour
The Chief of Defence Staff Lt Gen Mamat O Cham has given an order to his soldiers to shoot armed robbers who are frequently entering the country, attacking innocent citizens and looting their properties.
Speaking at Lamin Koto and Farafeni military posts during his current tour, CDS Cham told soldiers that the most pressing challenge to national security currently is the constant cases of armed robbery, especially along our border villages. “Anywhere we go, or when we invite people, they all tell us they are worried about their lives and the security of their properties from armed robbers, ” CDS Cham told soldiers.
“These idiots will sleep around the border villages and wait for a Lumo day and while everybody is asleep at night, they would come with cutlasses, or hunting guns terrorising people at gun point and taking everything from them. As soldiers your order is not to negotiate. If anybody attacks any Gambian village or shop, either with a cutlass or gun with the intention to overpower them and take their wealth, and you happened to come across that, the order is to shoot to kill, and there is no ambiguity about that,” CSD Cham ordered.
He said anybody who takes up arms to rob people should be treated as an enemy to the people and the country.
‘As soldiers you should be able to use your training, military tactics and apply your skills to get close enough to the enemy and neutralise them,” CDS Cham drilled his soldiers.
He assured the soldiers that his office, the government as well as the president will do everything possible to address their challenges within the available means and resources. The tour continues.
