When cops strip you naked

Many things here don't make sense. Just don't try to understand.

It is midnight and we are half-way to Janjanbureh, Upper Gambia. We are five in the car: myself and four Gambians. We share the fuel cost to see the families and the famous festival. We started at 4 p.m. The journey should normally take 3 hours. But first the car broke, then we had a minor accident followed by a lengthy police dispute. So it is midnight, and we have already been 8 hours on the way, annoyed, tired and half asleep.

We approach police checkpoint, one of many. The officer stops us and immediately orders to leave the car. Unlike other checkpoints we've seen, they are not at all friendly. The Gambians explain to me that this is drug police and this control is different. An agent with a torch in his teeth starts searching the car inch by inch, lifting even the carpet under the driver's feet. Then he examines all the luggage, taking the private items out of the backpacks. All backpacks, except mine. For some unexplained reason, my backpack remains untouched.

Meanwhile, the other two police officers perform personal inspection of passengers like I've only seen in the movies. The boys get stripped to their underpants, all pockets being searched. The cops do this to all passengers except me. They treat me like I was invisible. I observe. It is scary, and I wait for my turn, but no one touches me or speaks to me.

My friend Ebrima, already in his underpants, starts commenting policeman's activity. "Good brother, great job, we support what you are doing". He gets louder and louder, almost aggressive. I am worried something bad will happen. He pats the police agent in the shoulder. There is no reaction. He does it again, stronger, almost unbalancing him. Why did he do that? It is getting unreal.

The cop reacts and it is not looking good. In raised voice, some words are being exchanged in Wolof. Then Ebrima throws himself at the officer, who falls and they both start rolling over the ground. I freeze in suspense ...

Already on the ground, the cop starts laughing. They both start laughing. They get off the ground helping each other, as if they were just two kids playing around. It is only now that I realize that the two must have known each other. "I knew it was you Ebrima, I recognized you from the beginning, but I had to do my job" says the cop. "No problem brother, we are proud of you and your service to the country" responds Ebrima.

We get back in the car. It is 1 a.m. If I could describe what was happening in my head, it is like being inside Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki's movie, where nothing makes sense.

"Why didn't they search me for drugs?" I finally ask.

I receive this response: "We told them at the beginning: this guy doesn't even smoke."

One advice I was given before coming to Africa was precious: many things here simply don't make sense. Just don't try to understand.