Diaspora Gambians have denounced the corrup practices and harassment that are meted out to them by Gambia customs officers.

It all started with a Facebook post on Saturday night when one Almamo Fatty, a U.K. based Gambian, narrated his plight at the hands of customs officers at the Banjul International Airport.

Mr Fatty wrote: “I arrived in Gambia this early morning at 2am by Air Maroc and after picking my luggage, they are marked with a chalk by customs officer for inspection and this has become the norm.

“Every time you come with few pieces of bags you are marked for inspection which is fine but we need to revisit how our customs officers are treating our own people as foreigners in our own country. So for God’s sake we can’t be foreigners twice; in a foreign land and in our own country.

“The ministry of Tourism, airport management and customs need to sit down and address this (issue). This has become unbecoming and it’s getting out of hands just to make some money out of (your) own people coming back home. We are Gambians please welcome us with open hands.”

The post went viral with many other diaspora Gambians sharing their stories.

Andre Young Sambou said:

“I’m always having the same experience upon any of my visit. My last visit I was asked to go to that small office for inspections and all that I was told was that I had many shoes in my bags and I was only allow to come with 6 pairs of shoes. I told the officer that I have been to 2 foreign airports with no issues and now even in my own country I’m treated as a foreigner. Enough is enough.”

Nadia Pa Boye said:

“Another way to reap off innocent citizens. No excuse whatsoever but to drain and squeeze every dime from people. I’m quite sure the government didn’t warrant them to undertake such a procedure.

Modou Lamin Jobe said:

“Sad bro the Gambia is seriously becoming a very sad country nowadays, your own country treating you like a foreigner. The government needs to take serious action.”

Nancy Mbachu Faal-Prestwell said

“Absolutely, not that they treat us criminals, it’s the fact they target us to steal our goods then they’ll say suitcase is lost . It happened to me once I blew a temper tantrum and within minutes the case was out .

Sabs Sabally said:

“I at least made them to rob the chalk from my bag immediately with an apology then later the harassment continued at their small hell house and took my 20 euros.”

Lamin Dabo said:

“It needless exercise with an intolerable and disgusting impact on our own people visiting their own country. We all need to act to ensure it stops.”

Fboye Holli Pappam said:

“It is a shame that we are more respected in a foreign land than our own country.”

Sammy S Touray said

“Is really embarrassing and unfortunate we get treated like foreigners in our own backyard.”

Alhagie Barrow said

“Welcome home Imam. These guys are only treating their own people this way so that you can bribe them. Hope its changed now after minister Hamat Bah reveal the conducts of airport staff one of which you vehemently stated too. I’m sure the government is aware only that heads of our institutions hardly act to correct situations under their purview for a number of reasons. Gambian tend to believe so much on time when horrible things are inflicted on others by the people yet the least people who respect time.”

“I don’t know what are they scanning for with that poor scanner we used to come to Europe with our dry fish plus many things but they don’t make us to open our bags after scanning why in Africa.”

Abdou Karim Sanneh said

“This is the sad reality. They have been doing this sh**t to me. Marking my two baggage of 23kg chalk after scanning when ever travel to Gambia with Royal Air Moroc. The illness in our country is first noted in the Airport. Very sad but most of ushave gone through this kind of degrading treatment like we are foreigners. It should and we have to advocate for it to stop.”

Digi Njie said:

“Same thing happened to me when I arrived with Turkish airlines from the scanning machine they will mark “X” on it and ask you to go into that small office then tell you to put your bag on the table open it and they will count how many new items you have in it to make it worst no reciept will be given to you.”

Mams Bah said:

“This is Customs related issues and the earlier people start looking, seeing it that way we cannot solve it. All the people harassing you at the airport are customs officers. It is all on the head of Director of Customs. Period.”

Damiana Van Wissen said:

“I do feel your problem. I had the same. They kept me at the airport for 4 hours. First i had to pay €200 than €175 and so on and on.”

Fatou Aisha Njie said:

“? Fact!it is annoying, irresponsible and does not represent our country well as the first point of entry. Sad”

Ebrima Jawo said:

“Yes many of us have experienced that and they must do something to review the way they treat us.”

Customs officials could not be reached for comment.