Killer dog put down after death of Gambia president’s son
A dog that killed the son of Gambian President Adama Barrow has been put down, an agriculture ministry source said, with mystery over the circumstances sparking witchcraft rumours amid political turmoil in the country.
Eight-year-old Habibou, one of Barrow’s five children, died after the attack last month, days before his father’s contested inauguration at a time when then-president Yahya Jammeh was refusing to step down.
Jammeh’s refusal to cede power to Barrow, who won a December election, triggered a crisis in the small west African nation, before the longtime leader eventually agreed to hand over the reins to his successor and leave the country.
The timing of the boy’s death, and lack of details on the circumstances surrounding it, has inflamed the imagination of Gambians, giving rise to rumours of sorcery.
The dog was put down on Tuesday, the source in the veterinary unit of the department of agriculture told AFP Wednesday, on condition of anonymity.
“We concluded that it was not wise to allow this dog to continue roaming in the streets. We carried out some test and realised that the dog is not infected with rabies,” the source said.
Barrow returned to The Gambia last week to a jubilant welcome marking the beginning of the west African nation’s first democratic transfer of power.
He had been living in Senegal for safety reasons since mid-January.
Jammeh went into exile in Equatorial Guinea under threat of regional military intervention.
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5 Comments
Guinea Bissau or Equatorial Guinea, which one please?
It was Equatorial Guinea that was report abinitio. #Peace sir.
They’ve repeatedly stated that Jammeh reluctantly sought asylum in Equatorial Guinea. Guinea Bissau is a different country, but both are in West Africa. However, while Equatorial Guinea was a former colony of Portugal, Guinea Bissau was a former colony of Spain. Hope this clears the air!
So a dog that took a child’s life was still alive until just now. Gambia?
Is that a dog or Hyena. Did it go for the jugular veins or is this a reflection of the health facilities put in place by Jammeh. Accept mine condolence Mr President and ensure as much as possible, within your power, that this and other health woes does not happen to another family in Gambia
We will review and take appropriate action.