A second-year medical student has died following violent clashes between police and students protesting delayed stipend payments at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) in Dakar, the Senegalese government confirmed Tuesday. The student, identified as Abdoulaye Ba, died after what officials described as “serious events” during unrest that erupted on campus Monday. Authorities have not detailed the exact circumstances of his death but said an investigation is underway.
UCAD, one of West Africa’s largest universities with tens of thousands of students, was the scene of chaos as security forces entered the campus and fired tear gas, while students threw stones and barricaded areas. Videos circulating online showed confrontations inside university grounds. Student groups say the protests were sparked by prolonged delays in scholarship and stipend payments, a recurring issue in Senegal that has fueled unrest for years, particularly as the country grapples with economic strain. Demonstrators accuse the government of attempting to permanently end arrears payments.
Government spokeswoman Marie-Rose Khady Fatou Faye expressed “deepest condolences” to Ba’s family and the university community, urging calm. A high-level press conference involving the justice, interior and armed forces ministers was scheduled at the prime minister’s office. The incident highlights simmering youth frustration in Senegal, where about 75% of the population is under 35. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, elected in 2024 on promises of reform and change alongside Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, faces growing scrutiny as economic pressures and a major debt scandal weigh on public confidence.
