Brigadier General Sait Njie was born on 21 February 1975 in Jambaya, a Village in Sabach Sanjal, North Bank Region. He started out his educational pursuit at Kataba Primary School from 1982 to 1989. Thereafter, he proceeded to Armitage High School and completed in June 1994 where he obtained the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O’Level). The General Officer was enlisted into the Gambia Armed Forces in May 1996 as an Infantry Officer and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1999 after undergoing rigorous Officer Cadet training at the Gambia Armed Forces Training School.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Brigadier General Sait Njie obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science at the University of The Gambia in 2017 and holds a double Masters Degree holder. In 2018, he obtained his first Masters degree in International Security and Strategy from King’s College London (KCL), United Kingdom and a Master of Science Degree in Public Administration (MSc) from the University of The Gambia (UTG), as part of the Fourth Cohort in 2023.
PROFESSIONAL MILITARY CAREER COURSES
During the course of his military career, the senior Officer did all his career courses commensurate with his rank and appointments. Most significantly, in 1999, he attended the Army Combat Training School in Ghana where he did his Young Officer Course (YOC). Thereafter, the Senior Officer was sent to the United Kingdom in 2007 to attend a Peace Support Operation Course. Furthermore, in 2008 he went back to the United Kingdom for the Combined Arms Tactics Course. The following year in January 2009, the General Officer successfully completed his Junior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Nigeria.
The Senior Officer was later sent to the Horton Academy, Sierra Leone in 2012 to pursue a short course on Command and Staff Training in preparation for his senior staff course. After successfully completing the training, Brigadier General Sait Njie proceeded to the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College where he successfully completed his Senior Command and Staff Course from September 2012 to August 2013. The General Officer is a graduate of the prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), United Kingdom where he did his Defence College Course as part of the 2018 cohort. During his stint as Commanding Officer State Guards Battalion, General Sait Njie attended a short course in Combatting Terrorism against VIPs in September 2022 at the King Abdullah Institute for Special Security in TAIF, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
POSTINGS AND APPOINTMENTS
During the course of his military career, the senior officer held several appointments at various times in the Armed Forces such as the following:
Commandant, Gambia Armed Forces Training School – August 2011 to June 2012.
Commanding Officer 1 Infantry Battalion, Yundum Barracks August 2013 to July 2017.
Director Training and Doctrine, Defence Headquarters August 2018 to April 2020.
Commanding Officer State Guards Battalion April 2020 until his recent appointment as the Commander Gambia National Army in September 2023.
Chief Instructor, Gambia Armed Forces Training School.
Platoon Commander, Company Commander and Adjutant in both 2 Infantry Battalion, Farafenni and Guards Battalion, Fajara Barracks respectively.
Officer Commanding Tourism Security Unit (TSU).
Brigade Major Gambia National Army HQ.
Staff Officer Training and Operation Defence HQ.
PEACE SUPPORT OPERATIONS
Brigadier General Sait Njie served in the following Peace Support Operations:
ECOWAS Mission in Liberia (ECOMIL) and United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) respectively from 2003 to 2004 as part of Gambian Contingent.
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eriteria (UNMEE) – 2005 to 2006 as Military Observer.
African Union Mission in Sudan – June 2007 to December 2007 as part of GamCoy 5 Contingent.
United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire – January 2010 to January 2011 as Military Observer.
HOBBIES
During his leisure, the Officer enjoys watching sports, surfing the internet and reading.
MARITAL STATUS
Brigadier General Sait Njie is married and the union is blessed with children.
