By: Kemo Kanyi
Former Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Gambia Police Force, David Kujabi, has attributed the reported increase in violent crimes in the country to a combination of social, economic and institutional challenges.
In an article titled “The Two Impunities: What the Rise in Violent Crime is Really Telling Us?” released on Monday, Kujabi argued that crime should be viewed as a symptom of deeper societal problems rather than the root cause.
He noted that recent police reports of violent incidents, including stabbing cases in Latrikunda German, Piccadilly, Mandinaba, Fajara and Brikama, have created growing concerns among citizens over public safety.
“Crime is the symptom, not the disease. The young men committing these crimes were not born violent. They are the products of conditions we have allowed to fester,” Kujabi stated.
He referenced findings from the Gambia Labour Force Survey 2025, which indicated that 41.3 percent of young Gambians aged between 15 and 35 are not engaged in employment, education or training.
According to him, the more worrying aspect of the figures is that only about one in ten young people within that category is actively seeking employment, while many others have stopped searching for opportunities.
“That is not just an unemployment statistic. It describes a generation that no longer believes effort will be rewarded,” he said.
Kujabi identified several factors contributing to insecurity, including drug abuse, rising living costs, weak accountability systems and declining public trust in institutions.
He argued that young people who observe alleged corruption and lack of consequences for misuse of public resources may develop the perception that the law applies differently to different groups in society.
The former police spokesman said robberies, stabbings and domestic violence are visible manifestations of deeper challenges, including limited opportunities, weakened confidence in institutions and a culture of impunity.
He stressed, however, that poverty alone does not cause crime, noting that many poor and unemployed Gambians continue to live peacefully and contribute positively to society.
“Poverty does not hold a knife. If deprivation alone caused violence, crime rates would have exploded decades ago,” he said.
Kujabi identified the spread of violence as one factor contributing to rising insecurity, explaining that repeated violent incidents can encourage more young people to carry weapons for protection, creating a cycle of fear and retaliation.
He also pointed to the growth of illegal drug markets, arguing that such networks often generate violence because disputes cannot be resolved through legal channels.
“The drug economy generates its own violence. Illegal markets cannot settle disputes in court, so they settle them in the street,” he said.
The former police PRO also highlighted the weakening of traditional community structures, saying that elders, neighbors and extended family networks previously played an important role in maintaining social control.
He noted that rapid urbanisation, particularly along the Kombo corridor, has created densely populated communities where such informal systems have become less effective.
Kujabi further linked failed migration attempts to social pressures, saying many young Gambians returning from transit countries often come back with debts, trauma and frustration.
“The backway does not relieve pressure on Gambian society, but it recycles it,” he said.
On domestic violence, he argued that it should not be treated merely as an economic issue, saying it is also connected to social attitudes, gender relations and behavioral patterns.
He maintained that addressing crime requires a comprehensive approach involving job creation, stronger institutions, community engagement, prevention programs and a broader examination of social values.