Idris Elba, along with Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo and heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua called on Africans to “unite in protest” after Nigerian security forces opened fire to protesters rallying peacefully against police brutality.
The recent violence in Nigeria prompted Elba to make an appeal for action via an Instagram video.
“What’s happening is an atrocity, a murder, and I’m calling to the leaders of the ECOWAS countries [a West African alliance] to African Union to all African leadership to say something to the Nigerian government,” he said in the video.
“People should not be persecuted for protesting and basically murdered so I’m calling for the other African leaders to say something to the leadership of Nigeria right now.”
Meanwhile, Joshua wrote on Twitter on early Wednesday how the situation has escalated, calling the violence and killings “horrendous.”
“All because of people saying they want to live in peace?” he tweeted.
Ighalo recorded a video after the United’s 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, expressing that he is “sad” and “broken” by the news.
“I’m not the kind of guy that talks about politics, but I can’t keep quiet anymore for what is going on back home in Nigeria,” the Lagos-born footballer said.
“I would say, Nigerian government you guys are a shame to the world, for killing your own citizens, sending military to the streets to kill unharmful protestors, because they are protesting for their rights? It’s uncalled for,” he said.
“I am ashamed of this government. We are tired of you guys and we can’t take this anymore.”
According to Amnesty International, a “credible but disturbing evidence” has surfaced recently, proving that security forces in Lagos had fatally shot protesters despite a new curfew is going into effect.
“While we continue to investigate the killings, Amnesty International wishes to remind the authorities that under international law, security forces may only resort to the use of lethal force when strictly unavoidable to protect against imminent threat of death or serious injury,” Amnesty posted on Twitter.