Outrage in S. Africa over police brutality in Nigeria

AFP, 21ST OC TOBER, 2020 - Hundreds of people took to the streets in South Africa on Wednesday to voice outrage at the shooting of peaceful demonstrators in Nigeria.

Africa’s most populous country has faced growing unrest as a protest over brutality by a Nigerian police unit known as SARS ballooned into wider grievances against the government.

Witnesses said gunmen opened fire on a crowd of over 1,000 people in the main city of Lagos on Tuesday, w ith Amnesty International reporting that several people were killed.

Africa’s most populous country has faced growing unrest as a protest over brutality by a Nigerian police unit known as SARS ballooned into wider grievances against the government.

On Wednesday, demonstrators draped in the national flag of Nigeria and chanting liberation slogans marched to Abuja’s embassy in Pretoria carrying banners reading “End police brutality”.

Another group of about 400 people in Cape Town, mostly Nigerian nationals, vowed to continue picketing until there was change in Nigeria.

Well-known South African rap star AKA voiced solidarity with the people of Nigeria, saying: “How can people shoot to KILL their own countrymen and women?” “this is insane... Sending love and strength to Naija,” AKA tweeted to his 4.6 million followers.

South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), pledged its “moral and political solidarity” with Nigerians and called on the government to rein in its army and security services.