English model, actress and businesswoman, Naomi Campbell, has expressed sadness over the recent shootings of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos by Nigerian security agencies.
The 50-year-old in an Instagram Live video called for an intervention from international bodies like UN, UNESCO and Amnesty International.
Nigerians had taken to the streets across the country to protest against police brutality and seek reforms of the police. The protests had been ongoing for about two weeks.
On Tuesday, soldiers attacked the protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, killing several people.
The model described the shooting in the country as a modern-day genocide.
“The UN, UNESCO, Amnesty International, please step in and help. Do not let this happen. The youths are our future, they are our next generation of leaders and this is heartbreaking,” she said.
“Now we have in Nigeria, innocent people that are being killed and they want to get on the television and say that no one was killed? We have cameras, we have proof, we can see with our eyes. If this is the only way that we can get the truth out there then we will do all we can to do so. Innocent people are being killed in Nigeria for just singing the national anthem and peacefully protesting.”
She added, “Lives are being taken, this is like modern-day genocide and we should not shut up about it until there is a change. There needs to be a change and we need to be the ones to help make the change; so, stand up Nigeria, stand up Congo, stand up Sudan, stand up South Africa. Africa is an incredible and beautiful continent and we are not to be ignored, we are to be treated fairly,” she said.
The model revealed that she is working on her visa to come to Africa ‘a continent she loves.’
“I know I am sitting here and I am not there but if I could be there I would be. I am waiting for my visa to get cleared because I have no problem to go to the African continent because it is a continent that I love but I know that there needs to be a change; we all know,” the supermodel said.