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South Africa has Apologized to Nigeria for the Recent Xenophobic Violence

A special envoy was sent to Nigeria to express the first of President Cyril Ramaphosa's 'sincere apologies'.

Yesterday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sent a special envoy to Abuja, Nigeria, to meet with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari according to the eNCA. The envoy was tasked with expressing President Ramaphosa's "sincere apologies" for the recent spate of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign African nationals in South Africa. Of the twelve people who were killed during the week of the xenophobic attacks, two of them were Zimbabwean and the rest South African. However, hundreds more were affected by the violence, with the Nigerian government having opted to voluntary evacuate at least 600 Nigerians who wanted to return home.

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Image by Mohamed Nanabhay via Flickr.

Nigerian Activist Omoyele Sowore Remains In Custody Following Planned #RevolutionNow Protests

The founder of Sahara Reporters and 2019 presidential candidate, is being held under terrorism laws after attempting to organize a nationwide protest against insecurity.

Nigerian journalist, activist and politician Omoyele Sowore was arrested on Sunday for his efforts to lead a nationwide "Revolution Now" protest and is currently being held under terrorism laws, BBC Africa reports.

The peaceful protests were set to take place across 21 Nigerian cities on Monday. Several Nigerians were set to take to the streets to demand an end to widespread insecurity in the country, and push for free education and healthcare for all Nigerian citizens. Some organizers attempted to go ahead with the protests on Monday to little success. Those who did attempt to organize faced small run-ins with police.

Sowore remains in custody, after being accused of "calling for an overthrow of the Nigerian government," by organizing the protest. Though he should have been charged within 48-hours of being taken into custody, according to Nigerian law, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ruled that Sowore could be detained under terrorism laws, following a request from the Department of State Services (DSS) to hold him for further investigation. "The nature of offence of terrorism which involved the use of force, is a clear affront to the peace of the society," said the justice of his decision.

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