A major scandal has shaken security relations between Senegal and The Gambia. Two members of the Senegalese National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) assigned to the Gambian Presidential Palace have been expelled from Banjul for alleged theft and trafficking of food supplies meant for the Gambian Presidency.
The accused include the head of security for President Adama Barrow, a Senegalese officer who was previously considered a key figure in the presidential security detail. According to reports, the two gendarmes allegedly stole food from the State House reserve and sold it illicitly on the local market. A preliminary investigation found that their phones contained contacts of several traders suspected of having sold the stolen goods.
Due to the severity of the allegations, they were immediately recalled to Dakar and dismissed from the National Gendarmerie. One of the gendarmes disputes the decision, claiming he acted on orders from a superior and has decided to appeal. The Senegalese gendarmerie has issued an official statement, but no further details on potential additional sanctions have been disclosed.
Source: SENEGO
