By Haruna Kuyateh
A tragic road accident claimed the life of 13-year-old Madani Njie, a Grade 3 pupil at Daru Foday Lower Basic School in Daru Foday Ba, Jokadou.
The incident, which occurred on a busy stretch of the highway, shocked Njie’s family and the local community, bringing traffic in the area to a standstill. Residents have called on the National Road Authority to install speed-reducing measures such as road humps to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Njie’s parents, Alfusainey Njie and Rokiya Sumareh, described the loss of their son as “unfortunate” and expressed gratitude to family members and the wider community for their support during this difficult time.
Community members emphasized the need for road safety measures, noting that the area hosts two community resource centers, including conventional and Arabic schools, as well as a mosque. They also pointed out that this was the third fatal accident in the area over recent years and urged drivers to reduce speed and avoid dangerous overtaking on the highway.
Alkalo Njundu Jawara and other community elders praised the Gambia Police Force, District Chief Alpha Mariam Khan, the Regional Education Directorate, and school authorities for their prompt response to the tragedy.
Eyewitness Bakary I. Keita described the accident as “deadly” and stressed the urgent need for authorities to take preventive measures. The deceased was subsequently transported to Banjul.