As
impending crisis looms in The Gambia following the president's refusal
to step down, Nigeria's involvement in the whole drama has been
revealed.
Yahya Jammeh
A new report by Premium Times
has authoritatively revealed that the Nigerian Army has raised an army
battalion that would be deployed in troubled Gambia to forcefully remove
President Yahya Jammeh from power if he fails to step down on January
19.
The battalion, christened ECOMOG NIBATT 1, was drawn from the
Army’s 19th Battalion based in Okitipupa, Ondo State, military insiders
have told Premium Times.
Personnel were also drawn from other formations and units across
the country due to shortage of men at 19 Battalion which has a
significant chunk of its troops deployed for internal security task
force, Operation Delta Safe.
Premium Times reports that the Army Headquarters has instructed the
nominated officers and men, put at over 800, to immediately report at
the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, for a crashed course on
counter terrorism and counter insurgency.
Sources said Army Headquarters has also instructed the Army
directorates of policy and plans; finance; and logistics to ready funds,
arms, ammunition and other logistics for the operation.
The Armoured Corps is also working hard to ready armoured vehicles needed for the task, officials said.
There were suggestions by some of our sources that the Nigerian Air
Force and the Navy might deploy men and equipment for the operation as
well.
Top military officers said the Nigerian Battalion would be deployed
in The Gambia anytime after January 19 if President Jammeh makes real
his threat not to step down after the expiration of his tenure.
“This is an emergency operation, but we are ready,” one officer said. “The
Nigerian Army is a strong, professional fighting force battle ready at
anytime. We are so well structured that we can deploy at the touch of a
button.
“We did it in Liberian, Sierra Leone and elsewhere. And Jammeh
should know that we are not a joking force. Once we get the all clear
from ECOWAS, the AU and the UN to move in, we can pick him up.”
The regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), had on December 23 put standby military forces on alert.
The ECOWAS Commission President, Marcel de Souza, said Senegal, The
Gambia’s only territorial neighbour, would lead any military operation
in the country.
Other West African countries will be mandated to provide troops as well, Mr. De Souza reportedly said.
Mr. Jammeh lost the December 1 2016 Gambia presidential election to opposition candidate, Adama Barrow.
He initially accepted defeat and congratulated Mr. Barrow but
changed his mind and decided to challenge the outcome of the election.
He also vowed not to hand over to the winner as expected on January 19.
On Thursday, Mr. Jammeh said he would not step down before a Supreme Court decision on the disputed election, the BBC reported.
The President, the report said, insisted his cabinet and the
National Assembly would remain in place until the Supreme Court rules on
his party’s petition.
There is currently shortage of judges in the country to sit on the matter.
The case can only be heard in May if Nigeria agrees to supply judges to the Supreme Court.
West African leaders, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, the chief
mediator, are travelling to Gambia on Friday to persuade Mr. Jammeh to
accept an “honourable exit plan”.
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