Eight police officers killed in Sierra Leone during protests, minister says

The officers, six men and two women, were “brutalized” and killed in the area where the protests held on Wednesday, youth minister Mohamed Orman Bangura said.Hundreds of protesters “The police have made some arrests,” the minister told CNN while accusing the country’s opposition of financing the protests.”This was well planned, calculated and financed by members of the opposition All People’s Congress. Members of the opposition paid young people to come to the street to take over governance,” Bangura, a member of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party said. “If the protest is as a result of the cost of living, why is it not happening in all the strongholds of the current government? Why is it in Makeni that happens to be the headquarter town of the opposition? Why is it not a nationwide strike? Out of 16 districts, why is it only in three districts that they (the opposition) think is their stronghold?” he asked.CNN has reached out to the opposition party APC for comment, but is yet to hear back.However, Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, who is one of the leading politicians in the main opposition APC party, has denounced the violence.In an emotional video released Wednesday, Aki Sawyerr pleaded for an end to the violence and said: “This is not about party but about people.”The mayor added that she had been praying for peace and national unity in Sierra Leone alongside the steering committee of religious leaders.”Today in our city… my heart goes out to all who lost their lives and loved ones… the ones who lost property right across the city. We all are brothers and sisters… I believe fully in peace and stand against violence,” she said, speaking in the local creole dialect.