UTG Students Petition Interior Ministry Over Security Following Killing of Former Student Leader

By Seedy Jobe

Students at the University of The Gambia, joined by the family, friends, and colleagues of the late Yunusa Mbye, on Thursday submitted a petition to the Ministry of Interior calling for urgent measures to address rising violent crime and accelerate the implementation of long-delayed security sector reforms.

The petition follows the fatal stabbing of Mr. Mbye, a former vice president of the University of The Gambia Students’ Union. Earlier in the day, students gathered at the National Assembly in a demonstration demanding justice for their slain colleague and stronger action to improve public safety.

In the petition, the group described Mr. Mbye’s killing as a stark reminder of what it called the country’s worsening security situation. It argued that armed assaults, stabbings, and robberies have become increasingly frequent, leaving many communities living in fear and eroding public confidence in the state’s ability to protect its citizens.

The petition, signed by Muhammed Ngallan on behalf of Mr. Mbye’s family, friends, and colleagues, stressed that safeguarding lives is a fundamental constitutional obligation of the government.

“The primary responsibility of every government is to guarantee the safety and security of its citizens,” the petition states.

It further argues that the persistence of preventable violent crimes has weakened public trust in the country’s security institutions.

The petitioners called for strengthened preventive policing, enhanced intelligence gathering, and faster emergency response capabilities. They also urged authorities to increase security patrols in communities, educational institutions, and other vulnerable public spaces while promoting closer cooperation between citizens and law enforcement agencies.

Among their key demands is an immediate assessment of security gaps contributing to violent crimes and killings, as well as the expedited implementation of outstanding security sector reforms aimed at building professional, accountable, and community-oriented security institutions.

The group said it submitted the petition “in good faith” with the hope of preventing similar tragedies in the future.

“We trust that your office will treat this matter with the urgency it deserves,” the petition concludes.