Die folgenden Informationen konnten zu einem Vorfall gefunden werden, bei dem eine Tötung im Zuge einer missglückten Schmiergeldforderung zu Beginn des Jahres 2005 in der Stadt Uromi[1] zu Unruhen geführt hat:

 

Nach Angaben des Länderberichts zur Menschenrechtslage des US Department of State (USDOS) vom 8. März 2006 habe die Polizei im Berichtsjahr 2005 häufig Personen bei dem Versuch getötet, sie um Geld zu erpressen. Am 12. Jänner 2005 habe die Polizei in Uromi, Edo-State, etwas Schmiergeld von einem Taxifahrer verlangt und mit einem Schuss auf das Auto einen der Insassen, einen Schüler, getötet. Dies wiederum habe zu gewaltsamen Ausschreitungen lokaler Jugendlicher geführt, in deren Zuge eine Polizeiwache, zwei Polizeiautos und das Haus des Bereichspolizisten in Brand gesteckt hätten:

“Security forces frequently killed persons while trying to extort money from them. For example on January 12, police in Uromi, Edo State, stopped a taxi to demand a $0.30 (40 naira) bribe. When the driver gave $0.15 (20 naira) and started to leave the scene, a police officer fired at the vehicle, striking and killing a student riding in the taxi. Youths in the town rioted in response, burning a police station, two police cars, and the divisional police officer's residence. There was no information on disciplinary action taken against the police officer.“ (USDOS, 8. März 2006, Section 1a)

Die südafrikanische Nachrichtenplattform Independent Online (iol) berichtet am 14. Jänner 2005 von Ausschreitungen in Uromi, die ausgebrochen seien, nachdem die Polizei einen Fahrer erschossen habe, der sich geweigert habe, Schmiergeld in der Höhe von 40 Naira zu bezahlen. Im Zuge der Ausschreitungen seien Untersuchungshäftlinge aus der örtlichen Polizeiwache befreit und das Haus eines Polizisten niedergebrannt worden. Tötungen durch die Polizei seien in Nigeria gängig:

“An angry mob burned down a police station in south-western Nigeria after police shot dead a driver at a checkpoint, a police spokesperson said on Friday. The driver was killed in Uromi, on the outskirts of Benin City on Thursday, according to police spokesperson Fatai Kinyomi. Nigerian newspapers reported the incident occurred after the driver refused to pay a 40 naira (about R1) bribe at the checkpoint, an allegation Kinyomi would neither confirm nor deny. "The motorist died ... and his colleagues mobilised and went on the rampage, looting the police station" before burning it down on Thursday, said Kinyomi, who called the riot "barbaric." None of the rioters was arrested, and the police are looking for the officer who shot the driver, said Kinyomi. It was not clear whether the officer was in hiding. The situation was calm on Friday, and authorities were investigating the incident, Kinyomi said. Nigerian newspapers reported that suspects jailed in the police station were freed in the riot, and a police officer's home was burnt down. Police killings - many of them labelled "accidental" - are common in Nigeria, as is corruption in Africa's most populous nation of over 126 million.” (iol, 14. Jänner 2005)

Ebenfalls am 14. Jänner 2005 berichtet die nigerianische Zeitung Daily Champion von Ausschreitungen Jugendlicher in der Stadt Uromi im Esan North East Council in Edo-State als Reaktion auf die Tötung eines Schülers durch Polizisten, die nach einer missglückten Schmiergeldforderung an einer Straßensperre Feuer auf ein kommerzielles Fahrzeug eröffnet und einen der Insassen getötet hätten. Im Zuge der Unruhen seien die lokale Polizeiwache niedergebrannt, Waffen entwendet und Häftlinge befreit worden. Aus der Polizeiwache seien alle diensthabenden PolizistInnen geflohen. Einige Polizisten des Sondereinsatzkommandos seien zur Wiederherstellung der Ruhe in die Stadt geschickt worden:

„YOUTHS in Uromi town in Esan North East Council in Edo State, Wednesday burnt down the police station in the area, carting away arms and freeing detainees over the alleged killing of a student by policemen at a checkpoint. Also torched by the protesting youths was the residence of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station and two vehicles. When Daily Champion visited the town yesterday, streets were deserted while the policemen who escaped the wrath were seen relocating members of their families to neighbouring towns and villages. Eyewitness told Daily Champion, that about 1.30 p.m. Wednesday, the policemen, who mounted a checkpoint within the town, had stopped a commercial vehicle marked AG 41 KGP and allegedly demanded N40 bribe. The driver was said to have pleaded that he would give them N20 because he had just started work. ‘After much pleadings, he threw N20 at them and moved the vehicle. As he was going, one of the policemen opened fire on the vehicle and the bullet hit one of the passengers who happened to be a student and he died immediately,’ an eyewitness who resides around the place narrated. Report said as soon as the news filtered to the town, other students mobilised and invaded the police station where all the cops on duty fled. The protesting youths also paralysed commercial activities in the town as stores and other public places were looted. When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state Police Command, Mr. Fatai Kinyomi, confirmed the incident, saying the acting Police Commissioner, Mr. Philimon Leha, has deployed some anti-riot policemen to the town to restore law and order. ‘What happened at Uromi was sad. The command has deployed men to restore peace to the area and investigation would commence immediately to determine the root cause of the incident,’ the PPRO said. Mr. Kinyomi appealed to the protesting youths to allow peace to reign, adding that those cops behind the alleged shooting would be brought to book after investigation. Commercial banks and filling stations were yet to re-open for customers as at Press time for fear of being attacked by the irate youths who were still flexing muscles.” (Daily Champion, 14. Jänner 2005)

Laut der nigerianischen Zeitung Vanguard vom 14. Jänner 2005 hätten sich die Unruhen am Vortag, dem 13. Jänner, zugetragen, im Zuge derer die Bereichspolizeiwache, Wohnhäuser von Polizisten und Polizeiautos in der Wache angezündet, sowie mindestens 25 InsassInnen der Polizeiwache freigelassen worden seien. Mit dem Einsatz eines Sonderkommandos sei die Ruhe in der Stadt wiederhergestellt worden, der diensthabende Polizeikommissar habe die Festnahme des schuldigen Polizisten und der Anführer der an den Ausschreitungen beteiligten Jugendlichen angeordnet. Dazu sei es gekommen, nachdem ein Polizist an einer Straßensperre auf der Agbor-Kreuzung der Wire-Straße auf einen Bus, der sich auf dem Weg von Benin City nach Uromi befand, geschossen und dabei einen Passagier, einen Schüler, getötet habe:

“IRATE youths yesterday at Uromi, Edo State went on rampage, setting ablaze the Divisional Police Station and police residential quarters in the area to protest the killing of a student by a police officer during a routine stop-and-search operation. At least about 25 inmates detained at the Police Station for various offences were reportedly set free by the ranpaging youths, while police vehicles in the vicinity were set ablaze. Commercial activities in the area was disrupted and banks shut with the youths calling for the head of the Divisional Police Officer in Uromi, Esan North-East local Government, under whose command the trigger-happy officer is stationed. Although normalcy seemed to have returned to the city with the presence of fully armed anti-riot policemen, at the time of this report yesterday, the acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Philemon Leha visited the scene of the incident and ordered the arrest of the killer cop and the arrest of persons identified as the leaders of the youths involved in the carnage. Trouble, it was gathered, started around 1.30pm on Wednesday on Wire road, Agbor junction area when the driver of a commercial vehicle conveying passengers from Benin City to Uromi failed to pay a bribe of N40.The driver according eyewitness account, in an attempt to drive away against the order of the officer, was shot at by a police Constable but the bullet missed the driver and pierced the body of the bus killing instantly the student. While the other passengers, it was gathered, raised an alarm on the critical state of the student, the other officers allegedly descended on the driver without notice of the alarm raised. Vanguard however gathered that other drivers passing by saw the situation and quickly contacted the Union members, who in turn mobilized themselves and other street urchins with the aim of helping out their colleague and hold the officer responsible for the death of the passenger. An eyewitness told Vanguard that, ‘we were surprised that these drivers were running up and down and we suspected something had happened. A few minutes later, we saw many of them wielding weapons descending on the police station. The next thing was confusion.’” (Vanguard, 14. Jänner 2005)

Drei Tage später, am 17. Jänner 2005, berichtet Vanguard von Berichten über willkürliche Verhaftungen, Einsatz von Gewalt und Schusswechsel durch das Sondereinsatzkommando. Bisher seien als Reaktion auf die Unruhen, bei denen mehr als 200 PolizistInnen vertrieben worden seien, 15 Personen vom Staatspolizeikommando (State Police Command) festgenommen worden. Die Bevölkerung der Ortschaft habe eine Petition an den Hilfsgeneralinspektor der Polizei geschickt, in der das Sondereinsatzkommando beschuldigt worden sei, brutal vorzugehen und Personen, die nicht mit den Protesten und der Zerstörung in Verbindung stünden, an unbekannte Orte zu verschleppen:

“PALPABLE fear now pervades the Uromi town in Esan North East Local Government area of Edo State over alleged indiscriiminate arrest, brutality and shooting by Mobile policemen deployed, last Thursday, to the area following last week violent protest against the killing of a student by a police constable, which led to the burning of the Uromi Divisional Police station and Police Residential Quarters by the irate youths. Already 15 persons have so far been arrested by the State Police Command in connection with the carnage that has displaced over 200 police officers, while the residents of the town through a petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr Yakubu Mohammed accused the mobile policemen of brutality and abduction of persons, not connected with the protest and destruction, to an unknown destination.” (Vanguard, 17. Jänner 2005)

Am 19. Jänner berichtet Vanguard dass als Folge der Unruhen, bei denen eine Polizeiwache und die Wohnhäuser von 200 PolizistInnen niedergebrannt worden waren, nach Polizeiangaben bereits 46 Personen verhaftet worden seien, womit die Behörden auch Vorwürfe darüber, dass BewohnerInnen aus der Gegend willkürlich verhaftet worden seien,  dementiert hätten:

“THE Edo State Police Command headed by acting Commissioner of Police, Mr Philemon Leha yesterday ordered the Divisional Head of Uromi Police Station to produce within 48 hours the police constable alleged to be responsible for the killing of a youth in Uromi last week. The killing led to a violent protest by youths who razed down a police station and the residential quarters of over 200 officers. Already as part of the investigation into the carnage, the Police authorities have denied the alleged indiscriminate arrest of residents of the area by announcing that 46 persons have so far been arrested and are being detained at the state headquarters of the command in the state capital. Just as the state Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion during a fact finding visit to the troubled town yesterday called for caution on the part of the community and ordered that a full probe be initiated to unravel the misery yet surrounding the event leading to the mob attack on the Police station and the barracks. Vanguard gathered yesterday that the disappearance of the killer cop involved in the killing of the youth has continued to be a source of worry to the leadership of the police command and has slowed down the pace of investigation into the cause of the violent protest. While the Divisional Head of the Uromi station, Mr Mohammed Wara could not give a satisfactory explanation on the whereabout of the officer, the acting Commissioner according to senior Police source has ordered that failure of the DPO to produce the constable within 48 hours, it may lead to the issuance of a query to him on why he should not be held responsible for the mayhem.” (Vanguard, 19. Jänner 2005)

Die nigerianische Zeitung This Day berichtet am 19. Jänner 2005 ebenfalls, dass laut Polizei 46 Personen im Zusammenhang mit den Unruhen – der laut der Zeitung die Erpressung und Tötung eines Taxifahrers zugrunde lägen – verhaftet worden seien. BewohnerInnen von Uromi würden die Zahl mit 80 beziffern:

“Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State has directed that the vast destruction of property by irate youths in Uromi be fully investigated in order to bring the perpetrators of the violence to book, lamenting the destruction that resulted from the mayhem. The governor gave the order after an assessment tour of the affected places, including a police station, police residential quarters as well as several vehicles parked in the premises which were reportedly set ablaze by the youths protesting the killing of a driver (Mr Sunday Osediamen) in the area. Igbinedion's statement came at a time police claimed to have arrested 46 persons in connection with the mayhem last week, but the suspected constable behind shooting and killing of the taxi driver over a N40 extortion still at large. Edo State Police Command spokesman, Mr. Fatai Kinyomi, yesterday disclosed the figure of arrests so far made though residents quoted 80.” (This Day, 19. Jänner 2005)

Am 22. Februar 2005 verweist Vanguard auf die BewohnerInnen von Uromi, die vor einer parteiischen Untersuchung der Vorfälle rund um die Erschießung eines Fahrers durch einen Polizisten, die zu den Unruhen geführt haben, gewarnt hätten. Ihnen zufolge bestehe Bedarf, Fragen der illegalen Nutzung der Polizeibaracken, sowie verschiedene Fragen der gewaltsamen Angriffe, willkürlichen Verhaftungen und Erpressungen unschuldiger BewohnerInnen der Stadt durch das Sondereinsatzkommando, das während der Unruhen in die Stadt entsandt worden sei, zu klären:

“THE people of Uromi Community in Esan North East Local Government Council of Edo State last weekend warned against biased investigation into the incident that led to the burning, in January, of the Divisional Police Headquarters and police residential quarters by youths protesting the killing of a driver by police constable in the area, demanding for an administrative panel of enquiry to smoothen the relationship between the police and youths in the area. According to them, though the reconstruction and rehabilitation process have started, there is need to investigate the issues of illegal occupancy within the police barracks and the various issues of violent attacks, indiscriminate arrests and extortion from innocent residents of the town by the mobile policemen deployed to the area during the crisis and aportion blames to all concerned.” (Vanguard, 22. Februar 2005)

Quellen:(Zugriff auf alle Quellen am 16. September 2010)

·       Bing Maps: Karte von Ivue, Nigeria, 2010

·       Daily Champion: Nigeria: Student's Murder: Youths Burn Police Station, Free Detainees, 14. Jänner 2005 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

·       iol – Independent Online: Driver's death triggers mob violence in Uromi, 14. Jänner 2005

·       Maps.google.com: Uromi Ivue Primary School, 2010

·       This Day: Nigeria: Uromi Mayhem: Igbinedion Orders Full Enquiry, 19. Jänner 2005 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

·       USDOS - US Department of State: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005 - Nigeria, 8. März 2006

·       Vanguard: Nigeria: Community Warns On Investigation Into Razing of Police Station, 22. Februar 2005 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

·       Vanguard: Nigeria: Police Commissioner Gives Uromi Division 48 Hours to Produce Suspect, 19. Jänner 2005 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

·       Vanguard: Nigeria: Fear Grips Uromi Town Over Indiscriminate Arrests, 17. Jänner 2005 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

·       Vanguard: Nigeria: Irate Youths Raze Police Station, Barracks, 14. Jänner 2005 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

·       Vanguard: Nigeria: My Civil Service Experience Was Frustrating – Eigbokhan, 13. April 2003 (veröffentlicht auf allAfrica.com)

---