More than 100 Gambian Mnationals are currently being held in various migration detention centers across Turkey, facing prolonged incarceration, poor living conditions, and uncertainty over their fate, impeccable sources within the Gambian community in Turkey have revealed.
The detainees, many of whom were lured to Turkey with false promises of easy passage to Europe via Greece, have endured months of hardship.
According to accounts shared with The Alkamba Times, most spend at least eight months in detention before being released, further imprisoned, or deported back to The Gambia.
Amie Secka, a Gambian woman who spent eight months in detention before her release, described a harrowing ordeal.
Intercepted by Turkish border guards while attempting to cross the sea to Greece, Secka said she was denied all communication with her husband and family throughout her detention.
“I was lured into this journey by an agent my husband paid. He promised that once I reached Turkey, arrangements would be made to take me to Greece. Instead, I was told I had to cross the sea myself,” Secka recounted.
“The conditions were unbearable. Many of us felt abandoned.” Her testimony echoes the experiences of dozens of other Gambians who fell victim to human smuggling networks operating between West Africa and Turkey.
The agents reportedly exploit the dreams of young Gambians seeking better opportunities in Europe, only for the journey to end in Turkish custody.
Mustapha Touray, another former detainee who spent eight months in a Turkish facility, painted a grim picture of daily life inside the centers.
“Bad food, inadequate medical care, and frequent harassment were the order of the day,” he s aid. Touray expressed deep disappointment with the Gambian embassy in Turkey for what he described as a failure to protect its citizens.
“The Ambassador once visited us and asked why we don’t stay in Gambia instead of coming to Turkey. That statement left many of us feeling hopeless,” Touray added.
Fatou Cessay, who was arrested and detained twice, echoed these sentiments. She claimed Turkish authorities target Gambians not only at the seaside but also in apartments and communities.
“Hundreds are languishing without support. The embassy has failed in its duty to defend our rights,” Cessay stated. Community sources allege stark disparities in treatment.
While Gambians endure lengthy detentions, nationals from other countries, particularly Senegal, are often released within three days. This difference is attributed to Senegal’s highlevel diplomatic intervention.
Muhammed Bah, now in Greece after his own detention, highlighted desperate measures taken by some Gambian women.
“Because of the hardships, many young girls are sacrificing themselves to get pregnant. Pregnant women are not disturbed as much at the seaside and find it easier to reach Greece,” Bah revealed.
Bah appealed directly to the Gambian government to emulate Senegal’s response. “Ousman Sonko, the former Senegalese Prime Minister, personally intervened when Senegalese faced similar problems.
We want our Foreign Minister or even the President to visit Turkey and engage with authorities to reduce these lengthy detention periods,” he said.
Another former detainee, speaking on condition of anonymity, described systemic bias: “If they catch Gambians, you serve eight months or even a year. But Senegalese are out in three to five days because their leaders acted decisively. The Turkish prisons are hard, and many of our youths are suffering. When we complained to the Gambian Ambassador, he responded that we should stay in Gambia and not try to enter Europe.”
The Alkamba Times contacted Gambian Ambassador to Turkey, Alkali Conteh, for comment on the situation and the embassy’s efforts to secure the release of detainees.
No response had been received at the time of publication. The plight of these Gambian migrants, migration activists say, presents broader challenges faced by West African youth seeking irregular routes to Europe.
Turkey has intensified border controls in recent years as a key transit point, leading to increased arrests and detentions.
However, the apparent lack of robust consular support for Gambians has drawn sharp criticism from affected families and community leaders.
As calls for government intervention grow louder, families in The Gambia anxiously await news of their loved ones.
Many fear that without urgent diplomatic action, the number of detainees could rise, further straining already vulnerable Gambian communities abroad.
