By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Immigration Department said its officers intercepted 43 people attempting to leave the country through irregular migration routes, commonly referred to locally as the “backway,” during an operation in Sifoe Village on Friday.
According to a statement issued by the department, the operation was conducted on July 17 by its Border Patrol Unit stationed at the Migration Management Unit, in collaboration with the State Intelligence Services and with support from other national security agencies.
The group consisted of 13 Gambians, 26 Senegalese, two Sierra Leoneans, one Nigerian, and one Malian. Immigration authorities said those intercepted included 42 men and one pregnant woman.
The department described the operation as part of its broader efforts to curb irregular migration, strengthen border security, and improve migration governance through coordinated action among security institutions.
Irregular migration, widely known in The Gambia as the “backway,” remains a persistent challenge despite ongoing enforcement efforts and public awareness campaigns aimed at discouraging dangerous journeys to Europe through unauthorized routes.
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