By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Immigration Department said it had intercepted 24 people attempting to migrate irregularly by sea, in what is commonly known as the “backway,” underscoring the continued flow of migrants seeking passage to Europe.
The group was apprehended in Brusubi by a border patrol unit from the Gambia Immigration Department’s Tanji Migration Management Unit, officials said in a statement.
According to the department, those intercepted included four Gambian nationals, 16 Senegalese, three Guineans, and one Ivorian.
Officials said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb irregular migration and encourage safer, legal channels of movement. “This interception aligns with the Gambia Immigration Department’s continued stance against irregular sea migration while promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration pathways,” the statement said.
Despite increased enforcement, irregular migration remains a persistent challenge in The Gambia, driven largely by limited economic opportunities and high youth unemployment. The country has also become a transit point for migrants from across West Africa who travel through its coastline in hopes of reaching Europe.
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