Emmy Kosgei has voiced her concerns on the bloody violence that has gripped her adoptive nation of Nigeria for nearly a month now.
Millions of demonstrators have taken to the streets of cities across Nigeria to demand the government to shut down Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a notorious police unit known as SARS.
The squad was launched to fight crime, but it has been blamed for carrying out torture and killings, according to Amnesty International.
#EndSARS campaign spread across Nigeria since early this month when the protests began, the hashtag has since been trending worldwide.
Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari announced that his government would disband the SARS unit, but this has done little to stop the demonstrations.
On Friday October 23rd, Buhari announced that 51 civilians were killed in the unrest following days of protests over police abuses .
Emmy Kosgei has since decried the bloody violence that has gripped the populous West African country. Speaking to Standard, the Kenyan singer said that her husband apostle Anselm Madubuko was forced to shut their mega Revival Assembly Church because of the violence.
Emmy further said that her husband had asked their church members to stay at home this weekend for their own safety as attacks continue.
“We have been indoors for over a week. It is just saddening to see how the lives of young people are being lost in such a manner. In the spirit of democracy, the youth should equally be given an opportunity to voice their views. Use of force and brutality is against human rights,” said Emmy Kosgei.
The Kenyan singer also noted that the violence would have severe impact on the economy since the country was only coming out of a lockdown imposed nationwide following the rise in coronavirus cases there.
“The levels of frustration especially after a long period of lockdown and battling with Covid-19 pandemic are real and we can’t afford to slip further down. I urge Kenyans and the entire world to pray for Nigeria. Besides, I and other Kenyans here are safe,” Emmy Kosgei said.
