Few days after unknown masked men torched the main political bureau of The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), family members of the alleged arsonist including a pregnant woman have been rounded up by members of The Gambia security forces. Just like the aftermath of the December 30 attacks in Banjul, again mothers, fathers, uncles, wives, girlfriends, brothers and other close relatives are all rounded up and are currently in state custody.
Security sources say the alleged arsonists entered the bureau and tied up one Touray, a security guard who was on duty at the time of the incidence. Since then phone records of the alleged arsonists were requested by The State in their quest to trace those involved. Innocent women who unknowingly called and spoke to some of those alleged to have been part of the incidence are all arrested and detained at The National Intelligence Agency Headquarters in Banjul.
The APRC mobilizer Yankuba Colley in an interview with Standard Newspaper, called the arsonists bandits. He stated that the extent of the damage is yet to be established but almost all the offices were burnt down alongside very important documents.
Observers believe that the arrests and detention of family members and friends is another witch hunt by a desperate regime that is always going after its own people. There are also reports that some of the detainees are severely tortured by the junglers, dictator Jammeh’s assassin team.
