Gambia navy officer behind failed coup bid – government

A navy officer has been named by The Gambia’s government as the alleged ringleader of a failed coup plot.

Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera had been detained, along with four other officers, in an operation under way since Tuesday, a statement said.

The main opposition party and the West African regional bloc condemned the attempted coup.

A retired military officer said he doubted the plot was serious, as all the officers were junior.

The government statement said that loyalist troops were still searching for two alleged accomplices, following the arrest of officers from the navy, military police, state guards and first infantry battalions.

The Gambia is a largely stable country in West Africa which is popular with holidaymakers because of its beaches and wildlife.

Life has continued as normal in the capital, Banjul, since the government said on Wednesday that it had foiled a coup plot the previous day.

The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) condemned the attempted coup, saying the regional body “stands firmly” by President Adama Barrow’s government.

Meanwhile, the campaign manager of the main opposition party, Momodou Sabally, has been detained by police over a widely circulated TikTok video which suggests that Mr Barrow would be unseated before next year’s local government elections.

The police statement did not link Mr Sabally, who was a presidential affairs minister in former leader Yahya Jammeh’s regime, to the alleged coup plot.

Mr Sabally’s United Democratic Party (UDP) said it condemned, “without any reservations”, the attempted coup.

It also demanded Mr Sabally’s immediate release, saying the “short edited” video did not accurately reflect his views.