By: Kemo Kanyi
The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) has thwarted an irregular migration journey involving 80 individuals and the agent facilitating the travel has been put into custody.
According to Siman Lowe, the Public Relations Officer of GID, the department’s migration management unit intercepted these individuals on the 26th of September, 2025, and their agent is a 34-year-old Senegalese identified as Gora Diop, who is currently in custody. Diop is said to be facilitating the fulfilment of a bail condition before the exhaustion of 72 hours after his arrest.
Speaking about the role and the amount secured from the would-be migrants in a telephone interview with The Voice on Monday, PRO Lowe said: “Investigations revealed that Diop, together with an accomplice, Sheikh Mbaye, both Senegalese nationals, planned to facilitate the illegal departure of more than 80 migrants to the Canary Islands, using The Gambia as a transit point. The duo collected over 3,000,000 CFA from migrants in The Gambia and Senegal.”
Mr. Lowe explains that the migrants involved are 12 Gambians, 66 Senegalese, and 2 Guineans. “Their gender composition comprised 79 males, a female, and two minors.”
He stated that Mr. Diop’s role in recruitment, payment collection, and harbouring of migrants at a compound in Brufut, he was cautioned and charged with attempting to commit a felony, adding: “Mbaye remains at large, and efforts to trace him are on-going as the case file advances to the prosecution stage.”
He reaffirms GID’s commitment to promoting safe, regular, and orderly migration while resisting attempts to compromise The Gambia’s border management systems.
He urges communities and individuals to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of irregular migration to the authorities.
