Yahya Sonko, a German-based migration activist, has confirmed that 35 Gambians were deported from Europe to the Gambia last night.

“Last 10 days of this July, 15 Gambian deportees from the EU arrived in The Gambia through individual flight deportation. Again, in the early hours of today, at 3 a.m., another batch of deportees from the European Union arrived in the Gambia. A chartered deportation flight carrying 35 Gambian deportees arrived today (Wednesday night),” he told Kerr Fatou.

According to the migration activist, the aim of the European Union is to deport one hundred (100) Gambians in July alone.

“As it is confirmed officially, the EU wants to deport 100 Gambians in July alone. They want to do this by sending two chartered deportation flights; one arrived today, and another will arrive in the Gambia on the 26th of July, which will also carry another 35 Gambians. So, from tomorrow until July 26, they will again try to deport another fifteen Gambians with individual deportation flights. The way and manner in which they operate is by sending 15 Gambians through individual deportation and also organise chartered flights. Basically, the target is to deport 100 Gambians from the EU in July alone,” he said.

Mr. Sonko described the deportations as a sad event that poses a security risk to the Gambia and some families.

“This is very sad, knowing fully well that the government doesn’t have the capacity to reintegrate these people back into society. The Government is accepting deportees, but they are not taking responsibility to reintegrate them back into society. They are putting our country and families into security risk,” he said.