In 2018 in the town of Faraba Banta, 50 km south of Banjul, a contract was awarded to the Julakey Company to conduct sand mining operations in the area.
[2] On 18 June 2018, a number of angry local residents took to the streets of Faraba Banta to protest the mining company.
Parts of the protest turned violent, and five trucks that were loading sand in the mining area were set on fire by Faraba youths.
Youths were also seen targeting compounds belonging to Bo Jarju, Ba Jambang Sanyang, Bakary Saidy, and Nuha Kujabi, among others, who had all been involved in the mining operations.
Amadou Nyang-Jawo, a student at The Gambia College, was hospitalised at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
[6] The day after the incident, the office of President Adama Barrow released a statement saying that he was "deeply saddened" by the reports.
[7] On 21 June, it was announced that Barrow had appointed a commission of enquiry into the incident, to be chaired by human rights lawyer Emmanuel Joof.