By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Immigration Department said it had intercepted more than 100 people this week attempting to migrate irregularly to Europe by way of the River Gambia, underscoring the persistence of so-called “backway” journeys despite heightened enforcement.
In a statement, the department said its intelligence and border patrol units, working in coordination with migration management officers in Barra, stopped 60 men on Tuesday in Mayamba, a village in the North Bank Region. The group included 50 Senegalese nationals, six Malians, and four Gambians. Officials said the men were taken to the Barra immigration office for identification and screening.
“They are currently at the Barra immigration office for profiling and further screening.”
In a separate operation the same day, officers from the North Bank Regional Border Patrol Unit and the Barra Migration Management Unit, acting in collaboration with Senegalese authorities, intercepted another group of 55 suspected migrants in Mayamba following the arrest of a Senegalese agent believed to be facilitating the journey.
That group consisted of 38 Senegalese and 17 Gambians, including four minors, the department said. They were transported to the Barra Immigration Post for preliminary questioning.
The operations, the department said, reflect its ongoing efforts to curb irregular migration while encouraging legal pathways for travel and employment abroad. It added that it remained committed to strengthening border security and protecting lives.
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