No extension in peacekeeping- - IGP Badjie declares

Ensa Badjie, the inspector general of Police (IGP) has said there will be no single extension of peacekeeping mandate for any security outfit in the country.

“If your mission ends and you have come back, as far as my tenure as the Inspector General of Police is concerned, there will be no extension of a peacekeeping mission for any single security outfit in The Gambia,” the IGP declared.

IGP Badjie made these remarks whilst addressing eight Gambian peacekeeping observers who recently returned from Darfur, Sudan, in a flurry of events at the Gambia Police Force Headquarters, Banjul.

IGP Badjie added that he will not allow any form of segregation within the national security outfits, as all the security outfits are serving one leader, President Jammeh and the Gambian people.

Loyalty

He then added: “You must be loyal to the president and serve the Gambian people; if you cannot be loyal to the president, it’s high time for you leave the service before you get sacked. There will be no compromise for those who are not loyal to the president. Even if you get 20 PhDs, as far as you are not loyal... because as security officers you have to be loyal to the president and your country, The Gambia, and promotions within the security outfits will be based on merit.”

He used the opportunity to urge his officers to be cooperative and be always willing to serve the Gambian people, adding that they should also be willing to go wherever they are posted in the country.

“If you fail to cooperate you will be sacked,” he warned, drawing comparison to conditions within the Darfur region and other parts of The Gambia.

“You are security officers, you must be willing to serve your country and be loyal to the president of the republic,” he stressed, and congratulated the eight officers for serving in the mission.

In other developments, IGP Badjie presided over the presentation of certificates to donors of the Gambia Police Force and the closing ceremony of the Inspector Development Course, during which he urged the participants to effectively apply the knowledge and skills acquired to improve their policing duties.

Donation

On the presentation of 250 rain coats and 250 rain boots donated by Hon Suku Singhateh, the NAM for Lower Baddibu, IGP Badjie welcomed the gesture, describing it as timely considering the fact that the rainy season is here.

“The items donated will greatly help the police in their operations, especially at the checkpoints throughout the country,” he said and renewed his call to strengthen community policing as another effective means of curbing crime.

He urged the communities to cooperate with the police at all times to achieve a crime-free Gambia, saying that the police cannot do it all alone.

The police chief thanked the donor for the gesture and assured him that the items would be put to good use. He seized the opportunity, on behalf of the GPF, to thank all donors and supporters of the Gambia Police Force (GPF).

The events were attended by security chiefs, the majority leader of the National Assembly, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, and the mayor of KMC, Yankuba Colley, among other dignitaries.