While Gambians continue to die every day from easily curable diseases, millions of Dalasi of taxpayers' money have been wasted on armoured water cannon trucks.

An insider at the Police Headquarters in Banjul disclosed to What's On-Gambia that President Adama Barrow is poised to grant them the legal powers to deploy the controversial machines during mass protests.

Following the arrival of the trucks at the Banjul Sea Port, many took to social media to condemn the purchase saying the Gambian leader is trying to transform himself into another African dictator.

One Sarja Jarju wrote on Facebook: "The money used on these wasteful cannons should have been used on other necessities like drugs and medical equipment, farming tools, upgrading of our poor education sector etc."

He added: "Barrow's government has nothing tangible to come with but to wastefully spend this huge money for these useless cannons."

Bubacarr Sidiqi Jammeh in the USA also commented: "Instead of ensuring we have adequate drugs and medical supplies for our ailing healthcare system, you're spending millions on crowd dispersal trucks. All due to paranoia and insecurity."

The young political activist argued that “making enemies of the same people who voted you in power is the quickest way to find oneself in some far away land after the presidency”.

Sidiqi suggested the vehicles might be deployed in December to stop the 3-year jotna protest.