Students of the University of The Gambia (UTG) have submitted a petition to the Ministry of Interior, calling for urgent action to tackle rising violent crime and fast-track long-delayed security sector reforms following the fatal stabbing of former UTG Students’ Union vice president, Yunusa Mbye.

The petition comes days after Mbye was fatally stabbed in an incident that has sparked widespread public outrage and renewed concerns over the country’s security situation.

Before presenting the petition, students, alongside members of Mbye’s family and supporters, staged a peaceful demonstration at the National Assembly, demanding justice for the slain student leader and stronger measures to improve public safety.

In the petition, the students described Mbye’s death as a tragic reflection of what they called The Gambia’s deteriorating security environment. They said incidents of armed assaults, stabbings and robberies have become increasingly common, leaving many communities living in fear and undermining public confidence in the state’s ability to protect its citizens.

“The primary responsibility of every government is to guarantee the safety and security of its citizens,” the petition states.

The students argued that the continued occurrence of preventable violent crimes has weakened trust in the country’s security institutions and called on the government to take decisive action.

Among their recommendations are stronger preventive policing, improved intelligence gathering and faster emergency response capabilities. They also urged the authorities to increase security patrols in communities, educational institutions and other vulnerable public spaces, while strengthening collaboration between citizens and law enforcement agencies.

The petition further calls for an immediate assessment of security gaps contributing to violent crimes and killings, as well as the swift implementation of long-awaited security sector reforms aimed at creating professional, accountable and community-oriented security institutions.

The students said urgent reforms are needed to restore public confidence and ensure that similar tragedies are prevented in the future.