Senegal’s football community has been left in shock after the death of 18-year-old goalkeeper Cheikh Toure, whose body was discovered in Ghana after he fell victim to a deadly scam. The Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs confirmed his death in a statement released on Saturday.
Toure, a promising talent who trained at Esprit Foot Yeumbeul, had reportedly been lured by a group of armed extortionists posing as football recruiters. Believing he was traveling for a trial with a professional club, he was instead kidnapped and held hostage while his captors demanded ransom from his family. Despite the family’s desperate attempts to secure his release, the criminals carried out their threat and killed the young player.
Authorities in both Senegal and Ghana have launched a joint investigation to uncover the full circumstances of Toure’s abduction and murder. Officials said his body is in the process of being repatriated to Senegal, according to French Football Weekly.
In an official statement, the Ministry extended “deep compassion to the grieving family” and assured the public that the case is being pursued “with the greatest attention and priority.”
Senegalese authorities have also issued a strong warning to young athletes, clubs, and families, urging them to “exercise extra caution in the face of unverified offers of tests or transfers abroad.” The Ministry further advised that aspiring footballers “always go through official circuits and obtain information from the sports authorities before any trip.”
The loss of Toure has sparked renewed concern over the growing exploitation of young African footballers through fraudulent recruitment schemes that prey on their dreams of playing professionally abroad.
