Ebun Francis with agency report
Leaders of West African were are expected in Banjul on Friday morning to persuade former Gambia’s leader Yahya Jammeh to step down peacefully before regional forces, which entered the country Thursday force him out.
Troops from regional bloc ECOWAS, lead by Senegal and Nigeria, crossed into Gambia yesterday at the request of newly elected President Adama Barrow, have given Jammeh until midday on Friday to quit as they continue their advance across the country to the capital, Banjul.
ECOWAS, the Regional body organisation for West African Countries, says 7,000 troops, has entered from the southeast, southwest and north.
Marcel de Souza, head of the ECOWAS commission, said Guinea’s President Alpha Conde would travel to Banjul with the leaders of Mauritania and Liberia to try to convince Jammeh to travel to Guinea before choosing a country of exile.
“It’s out of the question that he stays in place,” de Souza said.
Jammeh initially conceded to Barrow after a December election before he reversed his decision, saying the vote was flawed and he would remain in power until a new election could be held.