Gambia declared a 90-day state of emergency on Tuesday, two days before President Yahya Jammeh was to step down after losing the election last month, dpa reported. Jammeh, who has ruled Gambia for 22 years, has refused to accept the result of the December 1 election, which saw him lose power to Adama Barrow, a real estate mogul little known before his candidacy. Barrow, who is scheduled to be sworn in as president on Thursday, fled Gambia on Saturday to the Senegalese capital, Dakar, amid fears of violence. Senegalese President Macky Sall had accepted to host Barrow at the request of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after repeated attempts failed to convince Jammeh to cede power. ECOWAS also pledged to send troops to ensure a peaceful transition of power.
