Yahya Jammeh Declares 90 Days State of Emergency in Gambia

Yahya Jammeh, outgoing President of Gambia has declared a 90-day state of emergency two days before expected handover; BBC reports.

Jammeh made the announcement on state television.  
 Regional leaders have been unsuccessfully trying to persuade him to hand over power to Adama Barrow, who won December's elections.

The move comes after Nigeria deployed a warship to put further pressure on Mr Jammeh.

Regional bloc Ecowas has prepared a force but maintains that military intervention would be a last resort.

In his televised announcement, Mr Jammeh said "any acts of disobedience to the laws The Gambia, incitement of violence and acts intended to disturb public order and peace" are banned under the state of emergency.

He said security forces were instructed to "maintain absolute peace, law and order" and denounced foreign interference in The Gambia's election.
Ministerial resignations

Meanwhile, Mr Barrow, who meant to be inaugurated as the new president on Thursday has been kept away by the ECOWAS mediation team in Senegal [see here]