Impeccable sources closed to Manduar in Kombo Central District has confirmed the arrest and detention of seven (7) youths of the village amidst heightening tensions over the stamping of attestation forms by Babucarr Secka who claimed to be the Alkalo of Touba Manduar.
Sainey Bojang, Bubamanduar, Bojang Amfal, Bojang, Pa Camara, Babucarr Jallow, Fabakary Bojang and Saijou Bojang are said to have been arrested by Paramilitary Police Officers deployed to the scene.
“For now I can confirmed that seven people have been arrested over the issue of this attestation forms. It’s unfortunate these arrestees were beaten before they were taken to Brikama Police Station where they are currently detained,” said one Nfansu Manneh.
He blamed the government for flaming the fire after the deployment of more than fifty paramilitary Police Officers to the scene. He added that when the matter arises on Tuesday the paramilitary Police were throwing teargas randomly on residents resulting to further tensions.
Manneh said many innocent villagers who were seating inside their compounds were affected by the teargas including a pregnant woman who was rushed to Brikama Health Center, and the only crime committed by Manduar villagers was to prevent a Kabilo (clan) head from authenticating attestation forms that led to the manhandling of many villagers in the hands of the police.
“Our position is very clear there is only one Alkalo at Mandaur and we cannot allow any other person to stamp any attestation form for any residence of the village other than our Alkalo. This is what Babucarr Secka, who is claiming to be the Alkalo of Touba Manduar wanted to do and we cannot allow that to happen because Touba Manduar is a Kabilo like any other Kabilo in Manduar,” he disclosed.
Efforts to speak to the Police Public Relations Officer prove futile as his phone keeps on ringing without picking. It could be remembered that on Monday similar tensions arise when the village development committee members and some youths of Manduar prevented one Babucarr Secka from stamping attestation forms to voter’s card applicants from Touba Manduar that resulted to the intervention of Governor of the region and IEC Chairman.