Senegalese Interior Minister Antoine Diome said on Saturday evening that “occult forces have infiltrated the demonstrations” during the violence that occurred Thursday and Friday in Senegal, which left 15 people dead.
In a telephone connection with the TFM channel (Future Media Television, private), Antoine Diome revealed that these “occult forces” “tried to sabotage the Djender plant which produces 12,000 cubic meters of water”. This will “generate a water deficit in the capital and the other localities which are supplied via this installation”, specified the minister.
“Armed men are among the demonstrators and loot the property of others”. “They are armed and are incredibly violent,” he added.
“In March 2021, I spoke about the existence of occult forces. Many did not believe it. But indeed there is a massive infiltration of occult forces, ”insisted Antoine Diome.
Antoine Diome also underlines that “what is happening goes beyond politics, it is the Republic and the State that are under attack”. “And on the instructions of the Head of State, we will take the necessary measures to restore order,” he assured.
Questioned, moreover, on the identity of these occult forces, the Minister of the Interior indicated that he will communicate on the subject at the appropriate time after having put out of harm’s way “these thugs”.
15 people were killed during violent demonstrations between Thursday and Friday in Dakar and Ziguinchor (south), revealed Mr. Diome.
For his part, the Minister of Tourism and Leisure, Mame Mbaye Niang said, in a press briefing held on Saturday in Dakar, that “the demonstrators whom we see every day attacking State buildings have a motivation other than to fight for a so-called injustice”.
“These armed people are taking advantage of this situation to destabilize the Republic. Those who spoke of resistance, democracy and the like, went into hiding and cleared the ground for people who try to sow terror in the republic. Everyone has seen people who are armed and who are shooting at the population,” added Mame Mbaye Niang. He called for the responsibility of all layers of society to face these enemies of Senegal.
Violent demonstrations took place Thursday and Friday in the Senegalese capital and in other cities of Senegal, including Ziguinchor following the announcement of the sentence of the opponent Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for “corruption de la jeunesse”, in his trial for rape and death threats against Adji Sarr, a former employee of a beauty salon in Dakar.