Sadibou Hydara

Sadibou Hydara (1964 - 1995) was an important Gambian military and political leader who served in various international peacekeeping operations. He later served as the Gambia's Minister of Interior and government spokesman.

Sadibou Hydara was born in Dippa Kunda, Serekunda to Mandinka parents from the Upper Division region of the Gambia. Hydara was raised in Koidutown, Kono District, Sierra Leone, where his father was a trader. Koidutown has a large and prosperous Gambian community. Gambian educator Mohamed Hafiz Fye, a friend of Sadibou's father, was a headteacher in Koidutown. Gambian businessman Bashiru Jawara was also a long time resident of Koidutown.

Sadibou acquired his secondary school education at the prestigious all-boys Ansarul Islamic Boys Secondary School in Koidutown along with General Yankuba Drammeh, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff of The Gambia National Army and Kaifala Marah, Sierra Leone's Minister of Finance.

After he completed his secondary school education, Hydara returned to the Gambia, were he attended Gambia College in Brikama. After joining the Gambia Army, Hydara went to study at a number of military colleges around the world, including the United States, Turkey, France, Cuba, and United Kingdom and served in various United Nations and ECOWAS peacekeeping operations. He was a member of the first Gambia contingent of the ECOWAS peacekeeping mission in Liberia (ECOMOG).

Lt. Hydara, along with Lt. Yahya Jammeh, Lt. Sana Sabally, and Lt. Edward Singhateh and other junior officers of the Gambian Army went to Banjul the capital of the Gambia to protest against President Dawda Jawara. The situation escalated into a coup, and in the confusion a military government, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC), was formed. Yahya Jammeh emerged as the leader of the AFPRC, Sana Sabally became the deputy leader, Edward Singhateh became Defense Minister, and Sadibou Hydara, the most educated of the coup leaders, became the Minister of Interior and the spokesman of the AFPRC.

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