President Barrow warns MP Modou Lamin Bah over candlelight protest

President Adama Barrow has issued a stern warning to Modou Lamin Bah, the National Assembly Member for Banjul North, following a youth-led candlelight protest near the State House in September 2026. During a public meeting in Banjul on October 19, 2026, President Barrow characterized the demonstration as a “treasonable offense” and a “serious crime.” He reportedly stated that if Bah participated in similar protests again, he would face consequences he “will never forget for the rest of his life.”

In his remarks, the President invoked the era of former President Yahya Jammeh, suggesting that under the previous regime, demonstrators would have been shot dead.

In response, Hon. Bah issued a public statement declaring that he will not be silenced. He expressed concerns for his personal safety and that of his family, holding the President personally responsible for any potential harm. Bah maintained that the candlelight protest was a lawful, peaceful exercise of constitutional rights intended to demand honesty and dignity in governance. He has called upon the international community, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations, to monitor the shrinking space for dissent in the country.