Gambia: Bakau Military Camp Calm After Alleged Coup Plot

A street in Banjul in Gambia.

Following the Gambia Government Spokesperson, Ebrima G. Sankareh announcement about the alleged coup plot and the arrest of four suspected soldiers, Bakau/Fajara Military Barracks remains calm.

Foroyaa on Wednesday has visited the military camp to assess the situation. There was nothing unusual happening around the barracks. There was no military roadblocks or armed military officers on the streets. The only soldiers the reporter spotted were unarmed soldiers sitting in the military camp.

People were going about their business: shops were open and the traffic was moving normally around military barracks. The people Foroyaa talked to stated that there was clam and tranquility around the military camp and the neighbourhood throughout the day. Ousman Gaye, who spoke to Foroyaa stated that he had heard about the alleged coup plot but nothing unusual happened around the camp.

"There was calm. People were going about their businesses as if nothing had happened," he said, when asked about the situation. Gaye a resident of Bakau added that he hasn't seen any military armed officers or road blocks in the area.

"I can say for certain that everything is normal here," he said. Fatou Badjie said that she is not even aware that there was an alleged coup plot because she didn't follow the news.

"I don't even know that there was a coup because I was busy working. I didn't listen to the news since yesterday," she said. She also added that everything is normal to her because she hasn't seen any roadblock or armed officers on the road.

"Everything is normal and usual," he added. Reports reaching Foroyaa also indicate that the military camps at Farafenni, Yundum, Kudang and Basse all remain calm. Banjul also is calm and the troops that were patrolling some streets on Tuesday night were withdrawn.

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