Assan Martin, a Gambian lawyer has called on the West Africa Regional Forces (ECOMIG) in the country to handover responsibility to Gambian security forces and leave, describing their presence as an occupational.
ECOMIG which has been in the country since 2017 after Ex-President Yahya Jammeh refused to handover power to President Adama Barrow after losing December 1, Presidential Election in 2016.
However, Mr. Martin said he believed that the Regional Force has stayed in the country for too long and that “whatever ECOMIG can do for the Gambia, the Gambia Securities Forces can do the same”.
“We are now calling their attention (ECOMIG) for them to considering handily over responsibly to the Gambian Security that is, the Gambian Army and any other Security Apparatus,” he told The Voice in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
The Lawyer laid his blame on the Barrow-led government, saying that they are not ready to do any confidential building measures to ensure ECOMIG handover responsibility to Gambian forces.
He then said: “There must be confidential building measures from the executive’s level or whatever the Commander-in-Chief to work with Gambian Army. This is what we are saying that, they are here to defend and protect the Democracy that the whole Gambian has fought for.”
He added that Gambia is a Sovereign Nation and that the security of the country rest in the hands of the Gambians.
According to him, Gambians are not feeling comfortable anymore with the role ECOMIG is playing and that the security reform system should include the regional forces in the country.