Imam Chabo Cham urges youths to avoid clashes with PIU officers

By Alieu Jallow

Prominent Islamic preacher Imam Chabo Cham has appealed to young Gambians to stop confronting officers of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU), saying such clashes fuel unrest and threaten national security.

He made the call during Friday’s Jummah sermon at the Tallinding Islamic Institute, urging obedience to law enforcement and asking religious leaders to reinforce the message.

“Please advise the young people to avoid confrontations with PIU officers. When the police ask you to move, comply with their instructions because when citizens refuse to obey the nation’s security officers, it is like children disobeying their father in a compound. In such a situation, can peace truly prevail in that home? It is the same with the police, who are responsible for maintaining the nation’s security,” he said.

Imam Cham warned that confrontations create tension and uncertainty and urged families to intervene. He said youths involved in protests remain members of communities and called on parents and guardians to steer them away from trouble.

“Do not bring pain upon the nation, because when you confront the police, it is the entire country that suffers the consequences. I am not saying this to please the government, but based on the teachings of Allah in the Holy Quran, which were preached by our Prophet and passed down through the various Islamic schools of thought we have studied,” he said.

He also urged young people to channel their energy into productive pursuits rather than constant complaints about economic hardship: “You are healthy and energetic, spending time at football fields and gyms, yet not engaging in productive ventures, while at the same time complaining about the hardship in the country. So, who then is contributing to the nation’s difficulties?” he emphasized.

Imam Cham cautioned against glorifying death in custody or in confrontations, saying such beliefs are misguided, and closed his sermon with prayers for lasting peace, stability, and unity.