News
Senegal protests: Death toll rises to 15
Tensions remained high in Senegal Saturday after clashes brought the death toll to 15 since a court convicted opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
Sonko’s ongoing legal woes have prompted rare flare-ups of violence in Senegal, typically a bastion of stability in West Africa, and foreign allies have urged a return to calm.Disturbances were reported on Saturday in the suburbs of the capital Dakar.
But several neighbourhoods that had experienced outbursts of violence on Thursday and Friday remained calm, said the minister of the interior, Antoine Diome.
He said that there had been “a drop in intensity” of the demonstrations, adding that “about 500 arrests” had been made since the start of the protest movement.
He added that the government suspected overseas involvement.
“There is foreign influence and it is the country that is under attack,” he said, declining to elaborate.
Sonko, a 48-year-old former tax inspector, was initially charged with rape but was on Thursday convicted on a lesser charge of morally “corrupting” a young woman and sentenced to two years in prison.
He claims the charges against him were a bid by the government to torpedo his political career ahead of the presidential election next year.
His conviction may take him out of the running for the 2024 poll.
Clashes between Sonko’s supporters and police broke out after the ruling, leading to 15 deaths over two days, according to government figures.
Shops and businesses were ransacked.
The army was deployed to the streets but scuffles erupted on Friday night in parts of the capital, Dakar, and in Ziguinchor.
Diome accused protesters of trying to “destabilise the country.”
“These are irresponsible people.
They called for demonstrations. They called for public buildings to be burned. They called for the collapse of the state,” he stated.
Arrest looming
Sonko was tried in absentia.
Also, he has yet to be taken into custody for his jail term, which is predicted to cause further tensions.
He has spoken out against debt, poverty, food insecurity, under-funded health and education systems and corruption.
Sonko, who has two wives, portrays himself as a devout Muslim and defender of traditional values, and has called for harsher penalties for same-sex relations.
Supporters of President Macky Sall, however, see him as a rabble-rouser who has poisoned political discourse and sown instability.
Dakar residents interviewed by AFP said they feared the possible consequences of his arrest.
“I am really scared because we don’t know how this will all end,” said 46-year-old Fatou Ba, a businesswoman in the Dalifort neighbourhood of Dakar.
“If they want peace; they won’t go and fetch Sonko.”
Another Dalifort resident, Matar Thione, 32, said he felt unsafe in his own country.
“If the protests continue, life is going to get even harder,” he said.
The government has restricted access to social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, to stop “the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages.”
One frustrated user, Cheikh Diouf, stated, “It’s a huge problem for us, because we can’t get real-time information about where demonstrations are taking place, and our safety is at stake.”
‘Proud’ democracy
Washington “is troubled and saddened by the violence and damage we have witnessed in many parts of the country,” the State Department said Saturday, urging parties to “voice their views in a peaceful manner.”
The African Union said the head of its executive commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, strongly condemned the violence and urged leaders to avoid acts which “tarnish the face of Senegalese democracy, of which Africa has always been proud”
The United Nations, the European Union and Senegal’s former colonial power France have also expressed concern over the violence.
AFP
Rt. Hon. Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha has continued to distinguish himself not only as a grassroots politician but as a sound parliamentarian who clearly understands the true essence of legislative representation and public service.
Since emerging as the Member representing Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Umeha has consistently demonstrated capacity, vision, and commitment both on the floor of the National Assembly and within his constituency.
Unlike many politicians whose promises disappear after elections, Rt. Hon. Umeha has steadily transformed his campaign mantra, “Go and Verify,” into practical realities visible across communities in Ezeagu and Udi Federal Constituency.
From road construction to solar-powered streetlights, classroom projects, healthcare interventions, agricultural empowerment, scholarships, boreholes, and youth development programmes, his stewardship has remained rooted in service delivery and measurable impact.
Observers say one of the strongest qualities that separates Umeha from many lawmakers is his deep understanding of parliamentary responsibilities. Through strategic bills and motions, he has continued to show that representation goes beyond rhetoric and political appearances.
Among several notable legislative efforts, he sponsored bills seeking the establishment of a Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skill Acquisition in Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, reforms in the education sector through the abolition of levies in public basic schools, mandatory insurance protection for NYSC members, and the establishment of a National Football Academy.
He also sponsored motions addressing critical national concerns, including the investigation into the gruesome killing of Nigerians by soldiers in Enugu State and the urgent completion of the Karshi/Apo Road project in Abuja to ease traffic congestion.
Political analysts note that these interventions reflect a lawmaker who understands that effective representation must combine constituency development with strong legislative advocacy.
Many constituents equally commend him for remaining faithful to the promises he made during his campaigns. Across the constituency, residents point to completed and ongoing projects as evidence that the lawmaker has not reneged on his commitments to the people.
Beyond governance and legislative duties, Rt. Hon. Umeha also played significant roles in efforts aimed at restoring sanity, stability, and internal cohesion within the Labour Party before his eventual defection to the APC.
Sources within the political space in Enugu State revealed that Umeha consistently pushed for peace, unity, and institutional order within the party during periods of internal crisis and leadership disagreements. His interventions were said to be driven by the desire to protect the interests of party members and preserve the integrity of the platform.
However, following prolonged internal challenges and unresolved structural issues within the Labour Party, the federal lawmaker eventually moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a decision many political observers described as strategic and inevitable.
Despite the political transition, supporters insist that his focus has remained unchanged — delivering quality representation, empowering constituents, and sustaining developmental projects across Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency.
For many residents, Rt. Hon. Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha represents a rare blend of grassroots leadership, legislative competence, humility, and political responsibility.
And across the constituency, the verdict from many communities remains simple:
“He promised, and he delivered.”
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