By Sirrah Touray
The Village Development Committee (VDC) of Jinack Niggi has taken a firm action by removing migrants waiting for boats to sail to Europe from camps across the community.
This decision came after reports confirmed that a boat carrying about 197 people many of them women and children left Jinack on November 17 2025, heading to the Canary Islands, is now feared to have sunk with no survivors. The incident has left the village heartbroken, as families continue to grieve the loss of loved ones.
Following the disaster, concerns grew over the increasing number of migrants still camped in the village. Many were said to be living in homes, lodges and even under mangrove trees. Some were reportedly from other areas such as Sami and nearby villages.
The Jinack Niggi VDC, together with the Alkalo (village head) and community members, held an emergency meeting over the weekend. During the meeting, they decided to drive away all migrants currently staying in the village to stop further use of their coastline for irregular migration.
The VDC visited various compounds and a local lodge where over 40 migrants were found. They were all ordered to leave immediately. “We cannot continue to be used as a point for these dangerous journeys,” VDC chairman Ousman Jatta said.
The alkalo has also maintained that his village will not serve as a transit point for future ‘back-way’ journeys. This comes as officers remained reluctant to enter Jinack in uniforms due to an old traditional myth that uniformed personnel cannot visit the village, a belief widely held by many Gambians.
