West Africa Ready to Pounce on Jammeh

Some weeks ago, the embattled loser of the Gambian elections, incumbent President Yahya Jammeh, asked "who the hell" were West African leaders to ask him to hand over power. He vowed on national TV to resist any attempt to force him from power. As the midnight deadline given to him by the international community approaches, Jammeh is demonstrating to the whole world that he will not go quietly. He will rather die or spend the rest of his life in jail rather than be president.

Earlier today, Halifa Sallah, the spokesperson for the coalition government in waiting, gave a very detailed account of everything that had been done by the coalition to ensure that there was a peaceful resolution to the current crisis. He stated that even in the midst of the unfair treatment of the opposition by the incumbent president, they had continued to stress to the supporters of the coalition, the necessity to see that peace prevailed and nobody was attacked, so that the country would not degenerate into the spilling of blood and the destruction of property. 

All attempts by people in The Gambia; the religious elders, town Chiefs, politicians, Gambians abroad for Jammeh to see reason and hand over in order to avoid any bloodbath in the country had been rejected by the power hungry leader. Up to the moment, members of the Gambian opposition were holding out for Jammeh to see some sanity.

However, the West African leadership is determined to ensure that the current crisis in the country is resolved as swiftly as possible. Even as Gambians continue to flee the country in droves, BBC and other credible reports indicate a movement of Senegalese troops towards various border positions along Gambia, a country that is almost entirely encircled by its larger neighbor. Senegalese troops have been reported both along the northern border by Kaolak and the Southern Casamance region which is closer to Jammeh's fortress Kanilai. 

The Nigerian military had already dispatched a warship that is currently in Gambian waters awaiting for further instructions.The Force is prepared for an amphibious landing with significant air support. The Nigerian Airforce Spokesman Ayodele Famuyiwa has confirmed the deployment of significant air assets to Senegal, comprising fighter jets, transport aircraft, Airborne troop carriers and surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, with about 200 members of the Airforce. Jammeh's military installations will be under attack as soon as the go ahead was given to take out the tyrant.

Jammeh in the meantime has declared a state of emergency and convinced his members of parliament to support the charade. Here are the members of the Nigerian military getting ready to go give Jammeh some tough love.