Troops storm The Gambia as Barrow takes oath

Barrow (left)
Adama Barrow, who won the December 1, last year election, was inaugurated as president at an event in Dakar, Senegal, witnessed by top United Nations diplomats.
But the defeated incumbent Yahya Jammeh stayed put at the presidential palace in Banjul, The Gambian capital.
A few hours to the expiration of his legal term on Wednesday, he failed to utilize the opportunity provided by visiting Mauritanian president for him to stand down.
West African leaders have so far failed to persuade Jammeh to quit. They have threatened to remove him by force.
Senegalese troops yesterday entered The Gambia to ensure Adama Barrow assume power as the country’s president, a Senegalese army spokesman said.
Senegalese army spokesman Col Abdou Ndiaye was quoted by news agencies as saying the country’s troops entered The Gambia yesterday afternoon.
Nigeria said its “armed reconnaissance air force are over Gambia”, AFP reports.
Jammeh lost the  poll, according to the Gambian electoral commission. But he wants the results annulled, citing errors in the electoral process.
Taking his oath, Barrow said: “I, Adama Barrow, do swear that I’ll well and truly prosecute the functions of office of the president of the Republic of The Gambia. That I will preserve and defend the constitution”.
President of the Gambian Bar Association, Sherrif Tambadou, administered the oath of office on the President.
Barrow was relocated to Dakar by the ECOWAS Mediation Team led by  President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his inauguration speech, he ordered all members of The Gambia’s armed forces to remain in their barracks.
“Those found illegally holding arms will be considered rebels,” he warned.
Western ambassadors to Senegal, the UN envoy for West Africa and top officials from the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) attended the ceremony. Hundreds of Gambian expatriates gathered outside the compound.
Nigeria’s fighter jets were yesterday conducting “armed reconnaissance air force over Gambia.
“They have the capacity to strike,” Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ayodele Famuyiwa told the French news agency AFP.
The Nation’s source who is embedded with the Nigerian forces said the mood of the troops was upbeat.
The troops are camped at Base Aeriene Amee De L’air Senegal where they are supporting other countries to plan logistics in case of a military action.
The source said: “Troops deployed by other countries are stationed in different locations, particularly close to the border between Senegal and The Gambia for easy advancement in the event of any call for military action.
“The morale of the troops is high with expectation to quell any insurrection in Gambia while our air assets conducting surveillance over Gambia and neighbouring countries,” he said.
In Banjul, it was eerily quiet. Most streets were deserted; shops, petrol stations and banks were closed. People were mostly staying indoors, uncertain about what might happen.
In some areas, men were standing on the roadside, arms crossed or looking at their phones. Some told reporters they were waiting for President Jammeh to go and would take to the streets once Barrow was sworn in

Read more at: The Nation


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