By: Michaella Faith Wright
Former soldier Abdoulie Sanyang, who served in the Gambian army in the early 1990s, has been arrested following controversial remarks he made on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez last week, where he reflected on his role in the 1994 coup and made sweeping allegations touching on The Gambia’s political history.
Sanyang, who joined the army in 1991 as a communication radio operator, described in detail how the military seized power on July 22, 1994. He insisted that Basiru Barrow, a former lieutenant in the Gambian army, rather than Yahya Jammeh, was meant to lead the coup. “Barrow was supposed to be the coup leader. He initiated the attempt, and Sabally was also part of it,” Sanyang said. He added: “From the inside planning, Barrow was more instrumental than any of them.”
He further recalled the army’s storming of State House, the detention of senior officers, and the bloody aftermath of November 11, 1994, when dozens of soldiers were killed. “Most of them were tied up and slaughtered in broad daylight at Fajara Barracks,” Sanyang alleged, naming Edward Singhateh and Peter Singhateh as among those who headed operations during that period. His testimony turned emotional as he described the fallen soldiers as “gallant men who should never be forgotten.”
Allegations on Elections and Barrow
Beyond his recollections of 1994, Sanyang made explosive claims about more recent events. He alleged that Yahya Jammeh manipulated past elections through fraudulent voter ID cards, suggesting that up to “300,000 votes” were manufactured and stored at the APRC bureau in Kanifing.
He further claimed that the 2016 opposition coalition, which defeated Jammeh, was heavily supported by diaspora funding and activism — a campaign in which he said he personally participated. Turning to current politics, Sanyang accused President Adama Barrow of benefitting from similar irregularities and warned of a repeat in the 2026 presidential election. “Barrow never won 2021. The same system Jammeh used is what Barrow is using now, with foreigners being registered and housed in strategic locations,” he claimed, alleging that officials within the immigration service and government were complicit.
Sanyang was particularly critical of Barrow’s treatment of the diaspora, despite claiming to have contributed financially to the 2016 campaign. “We made him who he is today, but instead he turned around and insulted us,” he said.
Arrest and Government Response
On Sunday night, 17th August 2025, Sanyang was arrested at Banjul International Airport between 21:00 and 22:00. According to the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, the arrest was carried out by airport security officials after his name appeared on a flight manifest. He was first detained at the Airport Police Station before being handed over to the Criminal Intelligence and Interpol Bureau for background checks.
Following initial procedures, he was transferred to Brusubi Police Station, where investigators questioned him about the statements he made on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on Thursday, 14th August 2025.
On Monday, 18th August, the government publicly confirmed the arrest in an official statement, stressing that Sanyang’s remarks carried “significant national security implications.” He remains in custody at the Brusubi Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as investigations continue.
Despite his sharp criticisms, Sanyang also called for Gambians to learn from past divisions. “Gambians should stop backstabbing each other. In 1994 things were not in order, and there were problems within ourselves,” he said, urging that national unity was the only way to avoid repeating history.
