Two Americans Disappear in West African Dictatorship

[Jeff Dunsavage]

Alhaji Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Jobe are from The Gambia in Western Africa, and after more than a decade working in the states, and naturalizing as U.S. citizens, they decided to return to their home and start a business. Alhaji, who has two children and worked as an infrastructure systems analyst for Chevron and Texaco in Houston, had just obtained his MBA. His friend Ebou, a father of three, was an operations manager at Walmart.

The two cashed in their 401(k) savings and gathered whatever cash they had available, left money behind for their wives and children in May 2013, and traveled to the Gambia with hopes of launching a computer service business.Around the end of June 2013, Alhaji and Ebou stopped communicating with their families and friends in the United States. One of their neighbors, who has left The Gambia in fear, reported their apartment had been ransacked, all computer gear and clothes and other belongings had been removed, and a vehicle stolen. The men have not been heard from for about eight months. 

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