A Nigerian travel consultant visiting The Gambia has alleged that he and a Gambian woman were attacked and robbed by a group of men while walking between Pocoloco and Kololi beaches.

Edeani Moses Kings said the incident happened at about 7:30pm on Sunday, September 27, as he and the woman were walking towards Tropic Shopping Mall after meeting at Pocoloco Beach.

Kings said they had planned to walk along the beach before heading towards the shopping mall when a group of men suddenly approached them.

According to his account, the men charged towards them and one of them shoved the Gambian woman. Kings said the group then took her iPhone 15 before fleeing towards Pocoloco Beach.

He said he and the woman immediately raised the alarm, shouting for help and calling for police assistance.

Kings said they subsequently reported the incident to the Tourism Security Unit (TSU) in Senegambia.

He also said they encountered another Gambian woman at the security unit who was reporting what he described as a separate alleged robbery and assault.

Kings said the experience left both him and the woman he was with traumatised, particularly because of the way the group allegedly approached them.

He later spoke to local business operators in the area, who, according to Kings, told him they had witnessed or heard of similar incidents along the stretch between Pocoloco and Kololi beaches.

The business operators allegedly expressed concerns about security in the area and called for increased security presence to protect tourists, residents and other people using the beach.

Kings said he did not want the incident to be used to blame people based on their nationality.

“It could happen to anyone irrespective of nationality,” he said.

He said his intention in speaking about the incident was to draw attention to security concerns and encourage the authorities to take steps to prevent similar incidents.

Despite the experience, Kings said he remained supportive of The Gambia as a tourism destination and did not want the incident to discourage visitors from coming to the country.

He urged the authorities to strengthen security in the area and ensure that those responsible for criminal activity are held accountable.

The allegations made by Kings have not been independently verified.

The incident has since prompted a response from the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), which has vowed to take appropriate action against anyone found responsible.

GTBoard Director General Ida Jeng Njie made the remarks during a press conference at the GTBoard office in Kololi on Monday, September 28.

Njie said the tourism authorities were deeply concerned about the incident, which she said had raised serious concerns about the safety and security of tourists, visitors, residents and other stakeholders within the Tourism Development Area (TDA).

“The GTBoard strongly condemns any act or behaviour that threatens the safety, security, dignity, or peaceful enjoyment of our tourism environment,” she said.

She said The Gambia remained committed to providing a safe, welcoming and secure destination for visitors, adding that incidents that undermine the country’s tourism environment would not be tolerated.

According to Njie, the GTBoard, in collaboration with the Tourism Security Unit, was taking the matter seriously and working to establish the facts surrounding the incident.

She said efforts were also underway to identify those responsible and ensure that appropriate action was taken.

“Any individual or group found to have violated the law or breached the standards and regulations governing the Tourism Development Area will face severe and appropriate action in accordance with the laws of The Gambia,” Njie said.

The GTBoard director general called on tourism stakeholders, businesses, residents and members of the public to cooperate with the relevant authorities by reporting suspicious, unlawful or threatening behaviour through the appropriate channels.

She said the safety and security of tourists was a shared responsibility and urged everyone to play their part in protecting the integrity and reputation of The Gambia’s tourism industry.

Njie said the GTBoard and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture would continue working closely with the TSU and other security agencies to strengthen security within the TDA.

She urged the public to remain calm and responsible while the relevant authorities continue their investigations.

The GTBoard, she added, maintains a zero-tolerance position towards acts that compromise the safety and security of tourists, visitors and the wider tourism community.