A little after 10 p.m. on a quiet evening in Dakar, Amadou Bangoura’s routine took an unsettling turn. The 30-year-old Beninese student, who had just finished his workout at the Liberté 6 gym, was stopped by a police patrol. Two officers stepped out, demanding to see his documents. Though his residency papers were in order, the encounter left him shaken. “I couldn’t help but wonder what might happen next,” he recalled.
intensified foreigner checks spark unease in Senegal
Amadou’s experience reflects a growing trend. Between June 30 and July 8, authorities conducted 490 identity checks targeting West African nationals in Dakar and its outskirts. The stated goal was to “enhance public safety,” yet the operation resulted in 36 individuals being referred to prosecutors for irregular stay.
Resident foreigners, many of whom have lived in Senegal for years, are now questioning the fairness of these measures. Civil society leaders warn that the crackdown is normalizing a culture of suspicion toward outsiders. In a July 13 statement, they condemned “arbitrary arrests, excessive administrative demands, and prolonged detentions.”
xenophobic rhetoric fuels tensions
Online hostility has further inflamed the situation. Short videos on TikTok have singled out Guinean migrants, who make up over 40% of Senegal’s foreign population. Accusations of job theft—echoing recent xenophobic campaigns in South Africa—have added to the strain.
The timing is particularly sensitive. Senegal has just assumed the presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a role that carries expectations of regional unity and openness.
