Very often newspapers in the country, both print and digital, carry news of a murder somewhere in The Gambia. This is alarming, to say the least. It is important to find out the causes for this danger which is almost causing panic among the population in the country. It seems no one is safe and people are beginning to be afraid to even go out at certain times at night.
It is a known fact that when there is economic crisis and people find it difficult to have the three square meal a day, this naturally leads to an increase in crime rate in a country. The other serious menace which can – and does contribute – to an increase in crime rate, is drugs. One can say, without any fear of contradiction, that the issue of drug peddling and abuse is becoming a challenge in The Gambia.
Perhaps the unemployment rate, especially among the youth, is another key factor worth considering in the fight against crime and drugs. In the distant past, one would hardly think of murder in The Gambia. It used to be that when a murder is reported, it would be years before something like that is heard of again in this country.
The sense of security and serenity The Gambia was known for, is now a thing of the past. Everyone is now worried about the rate of murder being reported. Parents are now weary of sending their children to the shops at night and children dread the idea of going out.
As the primary duty of a government is to protect its citizens, it is high time government came up with a plan to stem the tide. A comprehensive plan must be put in place which will look at all angles so that once implemented, there will be a massive reduction, if not a total halt, to murder cases in the country.
