FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Abubacarr Saidykhan
11 March 2009
The people of Kanfenda in Foni Kansala in the Western Region were on Thursday, 5th February, and Saturday, 7th February, stunned by the heavy presence of 'green boys and girls' in their village, accompanied by armed men in military uniform and the much talked about witchcraft practitioners.
According to reliable sources, the hunters descended on the village of Kanfenda at around 2pm abducted and whisked away more than 30 elderly people to Kanilai.
According to one Saikou Jassey, an abductee, who is in his 50s, on Thursday, 5th February, said as he was sitting at home with his elderly brother, Jambo Jassey, he saw a group of armed men in uniform, together with boys and girls dressed in green clothes and the hunters in red robes, approaching their compound.
Mr. Jassey said that as the group approached them, other young men and women clad in green garments and some armed men in military uniform surrounded the whole village so that whoever might want to run into the bush to hide would be trapped.
He said that after entering their compound, the hunters, without telling him what he had done, asked him to follow them to the village "Bantaba" (village centre). Mr. Jassey explained that since he is a man who normally does not like to talk too much, just got up and followed them to the "Bantaba"; that upon their arrival he was asked by the hunters whether he speaks the Fula language. He said when he replied to them in the negative they asked him to stand aside and that he was later released whilst they were at the Bantaba. Mr. Jassey however said that his elder brother, Jambo, was later taken to Kanilai on that day.
A woman by the name Tutu Bamba, also resident in the same Jassey Kunda compound, confirmed the abduction of her grand father, Jambo, who was also taken to Kanilai. According to Tutu, her grand father was given the concoction upon arrival in Kanilai, but was later released at night on the same day when his son went to Kanilai to facilitate his father's return home.
She said when Jambo came home he fell seriously ill and could not even walk properly, eat or lie down and was vomiting continuously all throughout.
When she was asked as to why the village seemed quite and lonely, Tutu replied that all the inhabitants had gone into hiding in the bush and will stay there until around 8pm or 9pm when they feel it safe to come home. She said that most of them would go to the bush as early as 6 am in the morning and some women even carry their babies along.
A compound called Kanfenda Badjie Kunda, 1 kilometre away from Kanfenda, was also visited by this reporter and upon arrival he was informed that two elderly persons were abducted from the said compound and taken to Kanilai. This reporter then proceeded to Sangajor where he was informed that two bus loads whisked villagers to Kanilai.
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