Rising tensions over foreigner controls in Senegal

Just past 10 p.m., Amadou Bangoura’s evening routine took an unsettling turn. The 30-year-old Beninese student, who had just finished a workout in the Liberté 6 district of Dakar, was walking home when two police officers ordered him to halt. The streets were nearly empty, most shops already closed for the night. Headlights sliced through the darkness as the officers approached, demanding his papers. This nighttime encounter has left a lasting impression on Bangoura, who has lived in Senegal for five years with all legal documents in order.