A simmering land dispute in Gambia’s Foni Jarrol District has taken a new turn, with residents of Niorro Jarrol Village alleging they were harassed by a group from the neighboring Jarrol Village. The incident, which reportedly occurred on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the village ground, has now drawn in local police and the district chief, and is also the subject of an ongoing court case.
Alleged Harassment and Unannounced Visit
According to residents, a group of people, allegedly delegated by residents of Foni Jarrol Village, arrived at Niorro Jarrol without prior notice. The visitors reportedly began taking photographs of the village and harassing women and children present at the time.
“We were sitting down at our village bantaba, and we saw some people from Foni Jarrol Village come to our village and started to take photos of the village and harass our ladies and children,” a resident said.
The group’s focus, according to Abdoulie Jobe, a resident of Niorro Jarrol, was on taking pictures of compounds and fences around farms where some residents cultivate crops. Mr. Jobe, along with Malick Sallah, subsequently went to the Kalagie Police Station to report the incident.
Police Response and Referral to the Chief
At the station, Mr. Jobe said he met with the Station Officer, Sanneh, and explained the situation. While a junior officer was assigned to take his statement, Mr. Jobe claims the Station Officer declined to provide a reference number from the police diary. Instead, he was told the matter had been transferred to the district chief.
“I told him no, I am not aware of it,” Mr. Jobe said, recounting his response to the officer’s statement.
Following the officer’s advice, Mr. Jobe and Mr. Sallah proceeded to the chief’s compound. Upon arrival, they found people from Jarrol Village already there. The chief asked them to wait outside while he finished his discussion with the other group before inviting them in.
Conflicting Claims Over Farmland
During the meeting, the chief informed Mr. Jobe that the visitors from Jarrol Village had shown him photographs of groundnut fields allegedly cultivated by residents of Niorro Jarrol. Mr. Jobe immediately denied this, stating that no one from his village had cultivated groundnuts on the disputed farms, although he acknowledged that some residents had cultivated orchards there.
The chief then relayed that he had received a call from a magistrate indicating the matter was to be handled at the district tribunal court.
Court Proceedings and Injunction
The underlying dispute is also before the Brikama Magistrates’ Court. On August 3, 2026, the case of Inspector General of Police v Alagie Jobe and nine others came before Magistrate A. Darboe. The case concerns an allegation that the accused failed to observe instructions issued by the Chief regarding the disputed land.
According to Mr. Jobe, Magistrate Darboe advised all parties to maintain peace and stay away from the disputed land, citing an injunction issued by the Chief pending a final determination of the main dispute. The magistrate warned that anyone who interfered with or breached the order would face consequences.
The case has been adjourned to September 10, 2026, for a ruling. The underlying land dispute itself has not yet been adjudicated by the Chief, and no final determination has been made on the main case for more than two years.
Source: Farmers of Niorro Jarrol Allege Harassment by Residents of Jarrol Village