Angry jewelers: Four burglaries in three months, one craftsman killed, the sector on high alert

Following four attacks targeting workshops in Guédiawaye, Tivaouane, Louga, and the Mbao industrial zone, jewelers are denouncing a series of criminal acts and demanding urgent security measures. With sit-ins and closed shops, they are calling for justice for their colleague Mouhamadou Khabane Guèye, killed during a robbery at his workshop in the Mbao industrial zone.

Anger is at its peak among jewelers in Senegal. Between indignation, anxiety, and grief, professionals in the sector have decided to close their shops to protest the increasing number of burglaries targeting their workshops. The tragic death of their colleague Mouhamadou Khabane Guèye, killed in an attack on his workplace in the Mbao industrial zone, has intensified their mobilization. Through this day of mourning and protest, the jewelers intend to draw the authorities' attention to the risks they face in carrying out their work.

“We have lowered our shutters, we have closed our shops. It is a day of outrage, but also a day of prayer for the late Mouhamadou Khabane Guèye,” explains Moussa Niang, coordinator of the Senegalese Jewelers Collective. For him, this tragedy is a cry for help that can no longer be ignored. The professionals are demanding justice for their colleague, but also better security for their shops and their tools of the trade.

Four workshops attacked in three months: jewellers demand urgent measures

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In a memorandum dated October 22, 2026, and addressed to the Ministers of the Interior, Justice, and Culture, Crafts, and Tourism, the group reported four jewelry workshops targeted within a three-month period. The attacks were allegedly recorded in Guédiawaye, Tivaouane, Louga, and the Mbao business park.

According to the document, the perpetrators operate using a similar modus operandi: nighttime break-ins, opening passages in the back walls, breaking into safes and stealing gold and other precious metals.

The group is also concerned about the escalating violence that claimed the life of Mouhamadou Khabane Guèye. "What we want is a peaceful environment so we can work with dignity, earn a decent living, and contribute to the economy of this country," argues Moussa Niang.

Jewelers believe they are particularly vulnerable to criminal attacks due to the nature of their business and the precious metals they handle daily. They say they now work in fear and dread further attacks.

A centralized investigation and an urgent hearing demanded

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In response to this situation, the Senegalese Jewelers Collective is calling for a centralized judicial investigation to establish any links between the four cases and to identify the perpetrators and those who ordered them. It is also demanding increased nighttime patrols around workshops and markets where jewelry stores are heavily concentrated.

An urgent meeting with the relevant authorities is also requested to express their concerns and share any information that some colleagues who have been victims of burglaries may have.

Moussa Niang, for his part, calls for dialogue with the security and justice services. He hopes that professionals will receive concrete guidance on appropriate protection measures, including the installation of surveillance cameras and the legal conditions relating to the carrying and possession of weapons.

Regarding the investigation into the murder of their colleague, the coordinator is cautious. "We cannot comment on the state of the investigation. It is ongoing. What we can say is that we have complete confidence in our justice system," he affirms.

The group hopes to establish a partnership with security and justice services to prevent further attacks and put an end to this series of burglaries. "Today was the last straw," laments Moussa Niang, who reiterates his condolences to the deceased's family, colleagues, and customers.

For jewellers, the issue now goes beyond protecting their merchandise and workshops; they are demanding the right to practice their profession without fearing for their lives.