The Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, has warned foreign nationals resident in The Gambia to avoid violating the laws of the country.

President Jammeh made this revelation last Friday during the State Opening of the National Assembly. The Gambia, the president said, is a hospitable nation with moral values, peace and security and his government will endeavor by all means to maintain that momentum. He said foreign nationals are highly welcomed in The Gambia irrespective of religion or race, but he appealed to them to avoid violating the law.
For President Jammeh, in The Gambia today, certain crimes are being committed which have never been known in this country. He cited kidnapping, murder, drug trafficking and other forms of crimes as being major in The Gambia now, with foreigners,  always being arrested in connection with such cases.

He warned: "In as much as we welcome you, foreigners should respect the laws of this land. This is a country where one can come and become the richest man. So try to leave in peace and respect the laws of the land." President Jammeh then called on the leaders of all foreign nationals living in The Gambia to talk to their nationals to avoid violating the laws, reminding them of his government's zero tolerance to drugs and other forms of crimes. "We will not tolerate drugs in whatever form in this country. My government has zero tolerance for drugs in whatever form. Respect law and order," he emphasised.

He then urged the judiciary to ensure that there is no mitigation in drug cases, noting that no accused person should call his actions a mistake after having been caught dealing in drugs. "You knew at the beginning that drugs are illegal. You deliberately bought the seeds, cleared the land, cultivated it and harvested it. During all this procedures, you knew it was illegal. So why should such persons make mitigation pleas to the courts, knowing that it was illegal at the beginning?" President Jammeh questioned.

The Gambian leader also urged the judiciary to speed up cases at the various courts in the country and to desist from the daily adjournment of cases.