Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
A total of 131 Gambians have died while attempting irregular migration journeys in 2026, with the vast majority losing their lives at sea, Baye Gassama, Chief Executive Officer of the Network of Reintegration and Irregular Migration Data (NRIMD), has told members of the ECOWAS Parliament.
Gassama disclosed the figures on Thursday during an engagement between the ECOWAS Parliament and residents of Barra in the North Bank Region. The meeting formed part of the regional parliament’s citizen engagement programme on irregular migration and trafficking in persons in The Gambia.
Presenting the organisation’s latest migration data, Gassama said 117 of the deaths occurred at sea while 14 were recorded on land.
“According to the 2026 data, 131 Gambians died, comprising 117 at sea and 14 on land, and the sea remains the deadliest route,” he said.
He also revealed that four boats carrying migrants have gone missing this year, with 245 Gambians reported missing.
According to the data presented, 1,860 migrants arrived in Spain in 2026, of whom 743 were Gambians.
Gassama further disclosed that 2,553 migrants were intercepted during the year, including 574 Gambians. He said 1,589 of those interceptions occurred before the migrants departed on their journeys.
Turning to migrant returnees, Gassama said the Network of Reintegration and Irregular Migration Data recorded 246 returnees in the North Bank Region in 2025.
He noted that the figure represents a significant increase from the 178 returnees recorded in 2024.
“The increase from 178 in 2024 to 246 in 2025 indicates a 38 percent rise in returnees, underlining the urgent need for reintegration support, livelihood programmes and psychosocial services to prevent re-migration and support sustainable community development,” he said.
He added that the trend highlights the importance of data collection, monitoring, and reintegration programmes to support returning migrants.
Gassama also spoke about the migration resource centre established in Barra, saying it had played an important role in raising awareness about the dangers of irregular migration.
He said the centre conducted community sensitisation campaigns that contributed to reducing the number of young people leaving through Barra and surrounding villages.
However, he explained that the project had now ended.
“When the project phased out, there were no more awareness-raising activities on irregular migration, which has led to an increase in the number of young people venturing on the backway journey,” he said.
He noted that Lower Nuimi’s location at the mouth of the River Gambia makes it easier for smugglers and migrants to access departure points.
Gassama appealed to the National Youth Council to support the continuation of the migration centre, saying it had previously served as a centre for awareness campaigns, information sharing, and youth recreational activities.
Recalling one of the region’s recent migration tragedies, he said, “In 2025, from November to December, there were boats that capsized around Jinack. We lost around 50 people, and many of them are still missing.”
He also called on lawmakers to strengthen legislation against migrant smuggling.
“We need a strong law against smuggling so that those found smuggling migrants will face appropriate penalties, which are not currently in place,” he said.
He further urged the authorities to establish rehabilitation and skills training centres to create opportunities for young people and discourage them from undertaking dangerous migration journeys.
The meeting also heard testimonies from survivors of irregular migration.
Momodou Lamin Joof told the delegation that he had served in the Gambia Navy for 11 years and attained the rank of Lance Corporal before attempting the irregular migration route five times.
He said family pressure and limited employment opportunities pushed him to make the journey.
“It was because of the backway that I lost my job, as I was compelled by family pressure and the lack of job opportunities, especially for young people,” he said.
Describing his experience in detention during the journey, Joof said migrants were held in overcrowded prison cells under inhumane conditions.
“We used the entrance of the prison to urinate because there were no toilet facilities, and the urine flowed back into the prison. When they locked the prison at 7 a.m., it remained closed until 7 a.m. the following day,” he said.
“They moved us to three different cells. The conditions were horrible, and our suffering continued.”
Another survivor, Yamundaw Sarr, told the ECOWAS delegation that she attempted the irregular migration journey three times.
She described the experience as painful and said migrants struggled to access food during the journey.
“Getting food during the journey was almost impossible. They seized all our phones and locked us up from morning until evening,” she said.
Both survivors told the delegation that they had not received any support since returning to The Gambia to help them rebuild their lives or start income-generating activities.
Community members in Barra welcomed the ECOWAS Parliament’s engagement and called on the Gambian government to invest more in youth development programmes, create employment opportunities and provide greater support for young people to reduce the drivers of irregular migration.
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