By Mustapha Jarju
The convoy of Hon Bakary Y Badjie, an NPP Mayoral aspirant for the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) in the upcoming Local Government election due in May 2023 was on Wednesday attacked in Bakau Town in Kanifing Municipality.
Hon Badjie who is the current Minister of Youths and Sport, on Tuesday, 25th April, embarked on a caravan tour across the Municipal Council ahead of the nomination but while in Bakau on Wednesday evening his convoy was attacked by some unidentified group of people.
Dawda Baldeh, a Journalist working with the FatuNetwork who witnessed the incident, in an interview with this reporter, explained that a group of unidentified people stoned the convoy of the NPP Mayoral Candidate which caused injury to several people including journalists who were covering the caravan tour.
Mr. Baldeh who was among the press corps covering the caravan tour narrated that it was around 8:00 pm in while in Bakau, members of the press (Journalists) were advised to take care of their gadgets as there was a suspected attack plan ahead.
“We were told that there was a group of people who were planning to attack the convoy and the journalists were advised to keep their gadgets safe. At that time I was filming and within 5 minutes from the time I got that information we saw a crowd while people were pushing each other and some people were throwing stones, unfortunately, the vehicle where the Journalists were occupying was stoned causing injuries on some of the journalists,” he explained.
He reiterated that shortly before the incident, all the journalists in the convoy were advised to take care of their gadgets by some members of the NPP convey they said a group of people has planned to attack the convoy.
Baldeh continued that the convoy was stopped at that moment until the situation was calm while those injured including journalists were rushed to the hospital. The Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officials intervened to allow the caravan tour to continue peacefully.
Responding to a statement made by Kemo Bojang of the United Democratic Party who is from Mayor Bensouda Camp that there was no attack in Bakau, Mr. Baldeh vehemently denied that statement saying, he is very disappointed with such a statement from Mr Kemo Bojang.
“I can tell you it is untrue, there was an attack, it is such a misleading statement and unfair to those who sustained injuries, but is also unfortunate for a media house to carry such a message without finding out what exactly happened”.
He continued that, it is still unconfirmed yet those people responsible or behind the attack threw stones, spraying of teargas among other things during the incident, “but teargas were used on people while stones were raining on the caravan but that was within a short time.
However, the general public is still awaiting the Gambia Police statement over this incident.