The co-founder of Operation Three Years Jotna on Tuesday claimed of police harassment and surveillance as two men dressed in mufti believed to be undercover state agents visited his home.

Sheriff Ceesay was speaking to local journalists at his residence in Farato a day after the anti-Barrow political group launched one of the biggest anti-government protest in the country.

Mr Ceesay, who is based in the United Kingdom, said his visit in the Gambia was for the purpose of attending yesterday’s peaceful anti-Barrow protest which called for President Barrow to step down and honour his 2016 election promise of serving for only three years.

But their anti-government stance have brought the group leaders to the attention of the state security agents.

Mr Ceesay said he is willing to speak to the law enforcement officials whenever they call him for questioning.

“It is also the police rights to call and question me but not putting my home under surveillance,” said the Three Years Jotna co-founder.

He alleged that most of the group’s diaspora members who came to witness the protest were being put under surveillance by the state.

“Two men in plain clothes on a motorbike, at 7am visited my home asking for my whereabouts,” he said.

“This was when my security guard told them that Ceesay was away.”  

He said his house was under surveillance again in the afternoon, around 2pm when another pick-up truck parked some few metres away from his home.

Mr Ceesay said two plainclothes officers  walked again requested for his whereabouts but his security guard also refused to disclose it to them. He said his guard told the men that he was not home.

They didn’t meet me there and by 11am they came back with a red double cabin from Brikama CID, that’s what they said and that they’re looking for me.”

He said he was advised by his lawyer Yankuba Darboe to visit Brikama Police Station, adding “they confirmed now that the order came from the Police Headquarters in Banjul.”

Mr Ceesay said he has done nothing wrong “I am not scared because this is my fundamental rights.

 “I still stand by my words, and if I am arrested Adama Barrow will be arrested for threatening the nation in Brikama.”

According to Mr Ceesay, he was receiving tips from his home guard that state agents were looking for him.   

He said he was disappointed with the actions of the government, which he claimed has “the same the style of operations like the former dictator Jammeh.

“I thought we were done with dictatorship. But I’m seeing it is trying to appear again in the country.

“No more dictatorship in this country. It will never happen again.”

Mr Ceesay advised the government that public office is “not a personal business but a national institution”.

He urged his supporters to continue to remain calm and peaceful.

However, Mr Ceesay has not being arrested or taken to custody. He is safe and well with his supporters.

Three Years Jotna leaders have expressed concern over the attempted arrest of their co-founder but said “they’re not scared”.

The group’s chairman, Abdou Njie, said “the days of arresting people in secret has gone, you must arrest people on reasons with proofs.”

Monday’s protesters said dialogue is needed at this stage to avoid conflict in the new Gambia.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba and Special Correspondent