Matar Ndiaga Seck, aged 51 and widely described as a political ally of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, has been taken into custody by the Division of Criminal Investigations (DIC) following allegations of « acts against nature ».
The arrest follows a warrant issued by police in Linguère, a town in the Louga region of northern Senegal. Investigators claim to have gathered sufficient evidence linking Seck to a case involving the detention of at least twenty individuals across the Djoloff area.
As of now, Senegalese authorities have not disclosed detailed charges or the current status of the legal proceedings.
The term « acts against nature » is defined under Article 319 of the Senegalese Penal Code, which criminalizes same-sex relationships. In a significant policy shift, Senegal enacted legislation on March 31, 2026, tightening penalties for homosexuality. Offenders now face up to ten years imprisonment, and the law also expands restrictions on the « promotion » of same-sex relations.
Since the new legislation came into force, over a hundred arrests have been documented nationwide. A French national has been held in Senegal since February 14 in a related case, with support mechanisms in place for legal representation.
Advocacy groups have launched emergency response initiatives to assist victims of discrimination and persecution in Senegal. Their international hotline has received more than 3,000 appeals for assistance to date.