A video has gone viral across social media platforms since Sunday evening. It is about the commissioner of the police mobile traffic unit, Lamin ‘King’ Colley, addressing a gathering in Jarra Soma. The police have confirmed to Malagen that the meeting was a traditional outreach event the police commissioner holds with drivers across the country on issues of road safety.  

In his speech, he made anti-immigrant comments that are hateful. He singled out non-Gambian Fulas as responsible for taking Gambian jobs, leaving young Gambians unemployed. 

Faced with heavy criticism, the senior police officer has since apologised after initially downplaying his comments as a joke that he could make about Fulas because he is a Jola. The two ethnic groups enjoy a joking relationship.  

What exactly did ‘King Colley’ say? 

Speaking in Mandinka, Lamin King Colley said: 

“Gambians are so good that they would put themselves in trouble in favour of making others comfortable. You [parents] give your [commercial vehicles] to non-Gambians, leaving at home your sons who can drive. It is not allowed by law. King Colley does not say that. That is the law and let us stop it. 

“You would see a Momodou Salieu Jallow who owns a shop and decides to buy a vehicle for commercial purposes. Instead of giving the car to a Gambian to operate, he would bring his brother from Guinea or Guinea Bissau, get him the alkalo’s certificate and eventually obtain a [driver’s] license.

“I am going to fight against this and I will not retreat. Whoever wants to take me anywhere, including Mali, I don’t care. I am King Colley, known to this community. I don’t brag but I believe in God. That’s why I mentioned Farafenni and Jarra Soma where it is rampant. It is not true to have Momodou Bah, a Gambian to come from Jarra Soma. He was not born here.”

Why the comment is flagged as hate speech 

In flagging ‘King’ Colley statement as hate speech, the following considerations are made. 

The potential to incite citizens against foreigners: Singling out Fulas in particular and non-Gambians in general as responsible for the unemployment of young people could incite citizens against those groups. A clear example of how dangerous such comments could lead to is the xenophonic attacks in South Africa where citizens, especially young South Africans, attacked, killed and destroyed the properties of sub-Saharan Africans for ‘taking their jobs.’ The UN International Organisation for Migration frowns upon the tendency of blaming foreigners for socio-economic challenges as it often leads to violence against immigrants.  

Status: Lamin ‘King’ Colley is a senior police officer. He is in charge of the police mobile traffic. He has hundreds of police personnel under his command across the country. His comments may be received by some, if not majority, as legitimate orders. The comments are coming at a time when the security apparatus, especially the police and immigration, are faced with heavy criticisms for allegations of ethnic profiling of the Fulas. 

According to the United Nations, hate speech is any offensive statement that targets a group or individual based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender and has the potential to threaten social peace. 

Further research by Momodou Janneh