The Gambia Armed Forces has issued a statement to tell retired Lieutenant Colonel Samsudeen Sarr to ‘shut up’ amid spat over his remark.

GAF statement comes after what it said Samsudden Sarr’s interview with Kerr Fatou Online News Outlet’s story with the headline “Samsudeen Sarr Says ECOMIG Should Stay in Gambia as Long as Barrow is President” which was published on 12 August 2023.

According to GAF, in the story, the retired lieutenant Colonel stated that, “… the reformation of the Army has gone beyond my imagination. We thought that day one it was going to be Security Sector Reform (SSR), but it was predicated on the wrong assessment. The army is polluted and nonsensical. The promotions were bad, but then it never changed. The very reason that we attacked Jammeh for is what this government is doing”. 

However, GAF added in a statement that: “it is the considered view of the GAF High Command that the retired Senior Officer has crossed a red line this time around which will not go unchecked. We therefore call on him to shut up and never attempt at insulting the integrity of the gallant men and women of GAF again. He is in no position to discuss strategic issues that border on national security and the Armed Forces in particular. 

“Furthermore, he should stop using the issues of the Armed Forces to pursue his hidden and nefarious agenda/vendetta with ill-informed, malicious, unfounded commentaries and assessments.”

“The GAF High Command is appalled and is finding it very difficult to continue to respect the retired Senior Officer due to his unguarded public utterances especially on issues about the operations of the Armed Forces. 

“The retired Senior Officer had on numerous occasions been engaged constructively by GAF on some of his unguarded, misleading and sometimes contemptible utterances and publications on the Armed Forces and national security to no avail,” the statement added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba