Gambiaj.com – (KOLDA, Senega) – Tensions are rising in the border town of Médina-Mary, in Senegal’s Vélingara department, as residents demand the expulsion of Gambians they accuse of illegally occupying local land. The controversy erupted after Senegalese border police uncovered unauthorized land use by Gambian nationals, sparking concerns over land ownership and administrative complicity.

During a routine patrol, officers from the Directorate of the Air and Borders (DPAF) of Médina-Mary discovered a site developed by a Gambian national near the border. The individual had built a mini-smoking facility, drilled a water source, and constructed a watering hole for his cattle. Additionally, he had cultivated over 500 fruit trees, including mango, guava, papaya, and lemon trees, suggesting long-term settlement rather than temporary use.

Further investigations revealed that the man possessed a Senegalese national identity card issued on June 18, 2017, listing his birthplace as Sambaradé, a village in the Badion municipality near the Gambian border. Another Gambian, also holding a Senegalese identity card, has been occupying land in the same area with his family since 2019. Despite opposition from Senegalese authorities, he buried his father in 2019 and another relative in 2021 on the disputed land.

Local officials, including Kandia Mayor El Hadj Malick Dia and municipal councilors, have denied granting any land authorizations to Gambian nationals. However, police sources suggest that the Gambians in question may have obtained “official authorization” from an external administrative source, hinting at possible irregularities or complicity within certain branches of the administration.

The unfolding situation has prompted an official investigation into how these individuals obtained Senegalese national identity cards and why they have refused to vacate the land. The residents of Medina-Mary are demanding immediate action, calling for the expulsion of the Gambians in question and the revocation of their Senegalese identity documents.

They are also urging authorities to take firm legal measures to ensure that national land laws are upheld and that administrative loopholes enabling unauthorized settlements are closed. The situation remains tense as local authorities work to address the growing discontent among Medina-Mary’s inhabitants.