The Gambia government announcement of a foiled coup plot to oust President Barrow comes four days after the exiled former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh vowed that he would return soon to rule the country again.

The announcement has sparked speculation about Jammeh’s recent pronouncement about his return to Banjul. 

Jammeh still has influenced among some members of The Gambia Armed Forces who still have some affection for the former strongman. 

It is worth pointing out that there has not been any official statement linking the two events. 

However on Saturday Jammeh told his loyalists via telephone at Diabugu in Upper River Region that “whether someone likes it or not, my return to The Gambia will happen and I will rule the country again. 

“All those who are saying that Yahya will not come back to the country do not usually go by God’s wish because they are Satanic people. Let them wait for me if I will not come back to The Gambia.”

And just four days after Jammeh statement, the Barrow government announced that they have foiled a coup plot by some serving members of the Gambian Armed Forces. Four soldiers were arrested and three others are on the run.

“The Gambia Government announces that based on intelligence reports that some soldiers of the Gambian army were plotting to overthrow the democratically elected Government of President Adama Barrow, the GAF High Command in a swift military operation conducted yesterday, arrested four soldiers linked to this alleged coup plot,” Ebrima G Sankareh, spokesman for the Gambia government said on Wednesday. 

According to him, the apprehended soldiers are currently helping the Military Police with their investigations. Meanwhile, the army is in pursuit of three more alleged accomplices.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba