06/01/2026
The year 2025 has proven devastating for The Gambia as irregular migration continues to claim hundreds of young lives seeking better opportunities abroad. Hundreds of Gambian youths embarked on dangerous sea voyages toward Spain, with many boats lost at sea, intercepted, or still missing. This ongoing tragedy has left families grieving and communities demanding urgent action.
A National Press Conference held by the Ebrima Migration Situation Foundation, in partnership with the African Migration Advisory Centre (AMAC) and the Gambia–European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development Agency on Monday January 5th 2026, shed light on the scale of this crisis. Under the theme “The Silent Tragedy: Gambian Youth Dying on the Road to Spain,” the conference revealed that 840 Gambians died at sea in 2025, with a total of 893 deaths including those on land. Seventy-two boats were lost, including three within Gambian waters, while over 6,000 Gambians successfully reached Europe. The data also showed 730 Gambians missing at sea and 74 missing on land in harsh transit regions such as the Sahara Desert, Tunisia and Libya.
Ebrima Drammeh of the Ebrima Migration Situation Foundation provided a historical context, noting that migration was steady from 1994 to 2017 but has since become increasingly deadly. He highlighted specific incidents, including boats that disappeared in November and December 2025 carrying hundreds of migrants, many women and children, with some confirmed sunk and others still unverified. Drammeh stressed that these figures are independently collected through direct migrant contacts, underscoring the severity of the crisis beyond official statistics.
The conference included insights from experts like Adrian Corish, CEO of AMAC, who called for coordinated international action, and humanitarian voices such as Seedy Saidykan of WeMigrants Germany, who shared migrants’ lived experiences and challenges during and after their journeys.
Madi Jobarteh of the Edward Francis Small Justice Centre emphasized that migration is a human right but warned of the dangers of irregular routes, linking economic hardship and unemployment as key drivers. He advocated for practical solutions including job creation and youth empowerment to reduce irregular migration.
President Adama Barrow also reaffirmed his commitment to tackling irregular migration, locally known as “Backway,” during the National People’s Party’s 6th anniversary in Kombo South. He issued a stern warning that anyone involved in organizing or facilitating such journeys including family members funding trips would face imprisonment. The President urged young people to seize available job opportunities and pledged collaboration with political leaders to raise awareness, emphasizing that this is a national, non-partisan issue.
In response to the rising death toll, the National Disaster Management Agency similarly convened an emergency meeting in Kanifing to coordinate immediate mechanisms to curb irregular migration. NDMA’s interim Director of Operations, Modou BK Ceesay, highlighted challenges such as the need for body bags and storage facilities for recovered bodies. The Gambia Red Cross reported recovery of about 15 bodies in Senegal, calling for swift repatriation.
The Commissioner for Migration, Binta KJ Barrow, stressed the need for stronger legal instruments to criminalize irregular migration, while the Navy detailed operational challenges in search and rescue missions.
Law enforcement agencies have intensified efforts to disrupt smuggling networks.
The Gambia Immigration Department apprehended key suspects, including Karamo Njie and Ebrima Dampha, linked to organizing deadly migration boats. The GID also intercepted large groups of would-be migrants: 107 at Batokunku and 70 at Lamin Lodge, comprising Gambians and nationals from neighboring countries. Around seven suspected smugglers remain in custody awaiting legal action.
In the North Bank Region, a multi-agency task force led by Police Commissioner Mustapha Sowe intensified operations along the Jinacks coastal corridor. The team, including police, immigration, intelligence, navy, and other security services, conducted shoreline surveillance, community engagement and patrols to disrupt irregular migration routes. They intercepted unregistered motorcycles suspected of facilitating smuggling and reinforced checkpoints. Cross-border cooperation with Senegalese police was strengthened through intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols.
Community leaders in affected areas have condemned irregular migration.
