Gambia’s National Assembly on Tuesday, January 24, revoked a state of emergency declared by former leader Yahya Jammeh in an attempt to stay in power.

The move comes shortly before President Adama Barrow is expected to return to Gambia from neighbouring Senegal, where he sought refuge for security reasons.

West African troops were meanwhile securing the capital, Banjul, in preparation for Barrow’s arrival.

Jammeh, who ruled the small West African nation for 22 years with an iron fist, caused weeks of political impasse when he refused to step down after losing the Dec.  1 presidential election to Barrow.

Jammeh left for Equatorial Guinea on Saturday, after weeks of pressure from West African leaders to step down.

(Source: NAN)