Former president Yahya Jammeh’s safety is not guaranteed if he returns without the permission of The Gambia government, the government spokesman has said.

Ebrima Sankareh told The Point newspaper that “If former President Jammeh insists in coming to this country without the permission of The Gambia government, he is doing so at his own will and that The Gambia government can’t guarantee his safety.”

The government spokesman denied any deal was reached between the Barrow government and the exiled former president.

Mr. Sankareh said: “President Barrow has never signed any accord or agreement with former President Jammeh and he has never seen one and he has never been shown one and it appears that all his hopes are vested in this document imaginary as it were.

“Yahya Jammeh is home sick and it’s very evident in his audio conversation. Jammeh is somehow violating the rules of exile for a former head of state. He is inciting trouble… He is asking his people to go on the streets to claim for his return to The Gambia.”

Jammeh had alleged in a leak WhatsApp audio that a deal with the International community (UN, Ecowas, and the AU) to end the 2016 political impasse allowed him the right of return from exile.