The Gambia government issues stern warning against the return of exiled Jammeh

The Gambian government has issued a stern warning to former exiled president Yahya Jammeh following his recent announcement that he was ready to return 'home'.

They warned that he risks facing legal action for alleged crimes committed during his presidency if he attempts to return to the country next November.

This isn't the first time such threats have been made; President Adama Barrow previously warned Jammeh of potential arrest and prosecution after the ex-leader expressed intentions to end his exile five years ago.

The recent warning comes just two days after a recorded message from Jammeh was shared with thousands of his supporters gathered in his hometown of Kanilai. In that message, he announced plans to return to the Gambia in November 2025 and hinted that he would lead a faction of his former ruling party.

However, Jammeh did not provide a specific date for his return but mentioned an agreement with organizations including the African Union, ECOWAS, the UN, and the EU, which he claims supports his future return. He also noted that his initial time in exile was supposed to last six months.

Jammeh fled to Equatorial Guinea in January 2017, marking the end of a political standoff following the disputed 2016 election results, in which he lost to Adama Barrow. This later plunged The Gambia into a political crisis after Jammeh initially conceded victory, only to retract that concession a week later.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the government reaffirmed its stance regarding Jammeh's possible return, stating he would be subject to arrest, detention, and prosecution for serious allegations stemming from his 22 years in power, which ended in December 2016.

Authorities in Banjul highlighted that there is no agreement granting immunity to Jammeh. They emphasized that every Gambian citizen, including the former president, has the constitutional right to return home, a right respected under international law.

However, according to the Gambian government, this right does not shield him from accountability for serious crimes substantiated by credible evidence and the findings of the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).

The government also reminded the ex-president that he remains a person of interest in this ongoing state investigation, especially since the TRRC associated him with severe human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and other violent crimes.