98 migrants who were attempting to embark on the s ‘backway’, the irregular journey to Spain were arrested by the joint security operation in Tanji in the West Coast region.
98 foreign nationals comprising 24 females arrived from Guinea Conakry. According to them, they were brought here by a company called QNet, with a promise to arrange transit to Europe for them. After paying amounts ranging from two to three thousand dollars, the ring leader of the agents is said to have disappeared.
Samba Mballow Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, working at the migration unit Gambia Immigration Department officials said 24 people were arrested on Monday 1st November, 2021 at about 8am in Juffureh, a tiny settlement in the North Bank Region of The Gambia, They were 13 Sierra Leoneans (including 1 minor in the company of his dad), 10 Gambians and a Guinean.
According to immigration officials (GID), all 24 were about to leave Juffureh to join a bigger boat in a village called ‘SITA’ in Gambia’s North Bank Region, before finally leaving for the Canary Islands in Spain.
These interceptions are yet another achievement by the security forces in the fight against irregular migration. However, the latest interception has shown that not all those making these journeys are Gambians, and that the country is being used by some would-be irregular migrants and the ‘agents’ who arrange their journeys.
We would keenly follow the developments unfolding.
BY: Baboucarr sey