The Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists and Dental Surgeons of Senegal (SAMES) expressed strong indignation following the tragic death of Abdoulaye Ba, a second-year dental student at the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontostomatology of Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD).

According to SAMES, the tragedy occurred on February 9, 2026, following the intervention of law enforcement at the UCAD social campus, in a context of tensions related to student demands over the payment of scholarships.

In a statement, the union offered its "deepest condolences" to the family of the deceased, his fellow students, and the entire university community. It paid tribute to the memory of this student, whom it considers "a victim of the brutal security measures implemented in response to a legitimate social demand."

The SAMES union condemns "in the strongest possible terms" the police raid on the student residence campus, which it describes as a "flagrant violation of academic freedom." The union also denounces the "disproportionate use of force" against students who, it says, were peacefully demanding payment of their scholarships, a right it considers guaranteed by the state.

Believing that this intervention led to a dramatic escalation, SAMES holds "the police and the authorities who ordered the operation" responsible for the situation that resulted in the loss of a human life. It therefore demands "the immediate opening of an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation" to establish all operational and hierarchical responsibilities.

The union also points out that "no reason of public order can justify the death of a student" and argues for a management of social tensions based on "dialogue, anticipation and respect for rights", rather than on force.

Finally, SAMES affirms its "total and unwavering solidarity" with the students of UCAD and Senegal, calls for strict respect for academic freedom and demands an immediate end to what it calls "violent repression" of student social demands.