The Gambia has reaffirmed its commitment to arrest and prosecute former dictator Yahya Jammeh should he return to the West African nation.
The declaration came after Jammeh told supporters in an audio message that he planned to come back next month, sparking political ripples across the country.
Jammeh ruled The Gambia from 1994 to 2017, a period defined by repression, corruption, and severe human rights abuses, according to the government and rights groups.
“If and when Mr. Jammeh returns, robust legal processes will be activated,” the Ministry of Information said in a statement on Tuesday.
Authorities pledged to ensure due process, fair trial standards, and respect for all rights while pursuing justice for victims of his regime.
The ministry underscored that the right to return home does not exempt anyone from accountability for crimes documented by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
The TRRC found that 240 to 250 people were killed under Jammeh’s rule, alongside widespread torture, enforced disappearances, and other violations.
The government dismissed recent claims of any “memorandum of understanding or promise of immunity” for Jammeh as entirely false.
Jammeh fled to Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after regional pressure forced him to concede defeat to current President Adama Barrow, who was re-elected in 2021.
Despite his exile, Jammeh retains a loyal following in his hometown of Kanilai, where supporters recently gathered to celebrate his anticipated return.
The Gambia has no extradition treaty with Equatorial Guinea, complicating potential legal action against the ex-leader.
Once a land subdued by fear, the small West African nation now seeks to redefine itself through justice and democratic renewal.