Polish Interior Minister Jerzy Miller
More than twenty Nigerians could be facing between two to ten years imprisonment following their arrest by Polish Police on Sunday.
Polish police in Warsaw on Sunday had faced reprisals from e section of foreign nationals after a callous killing of a Nigerian who was shot by an officer during a market raid.
According to sources, undercover police officers of the department for fighting economic crime were performing their weekly survey on Sunday at the open-air market close to the Stadium in Warsaw when a Nigerian was shot at and killed.
The Police had allegedly attempted to apprehend the shot Nigerian who resisted arrest and was said to have fled the scene of the police raid.
As the Nigerian was eventually caught and wrestled to the ground, a group of foreigners mostly Africans allegedly over –reacted by resisting the attempt, confronting the officers,
The scenario generated to a local unrest which culminated in disorderliness. The high handedness with which the Police confronted the foreigners however drew resistance leading to an alleged police trigger of the gun, leading to the death of the 36-year old Nigerian.
He was shot according to sources in the femoral artery.
Many innocent Nigerians were arrested during the melee Polish law stipulates a maximum of ten years imprisonment on harassment on police.
Nigeria Foreign Minister Ajumogobia Pix: 234Next
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reacted sharply calling on Polish authority to commence instant and comprehensive investigation to establish why an unarmed individual had to be shot at by Polish security men.
“The callous killing may strain relationship between Poland and Nigeria”, a source warned in london yesterday.
Polish national police spokesman Mariusz Sokolowski speaking on the incident claimed:”Officers at the open market chased after a Nigerian who ran away from them on patrol. One of the officers threw the man to the ground and tried to handcuff him, but a group of foreigners attacked him”, Sokolowski said.
“The officer’s handgun fired during the struggle, the round striking the Nigerian”, the spokesman said.
“This man could have been saved and police officers started to resuscitate him, but they were repeatedly attacked with stones by a group of foreigners and were forced to defend themselves, and had to stop the resuscitation,” Sokolowski said.
According to Sokolowski, six police officers were injured in the fighting and 32 foreigners were arrested.
Chairman of the Nigerian In the Diaspora Organisation , Mr Alistair Soyode in a very angry reaction said there was no explanation for the callous execution of an unarmed innocent person asking the Polish authority to investigate racial connection.
“There is no any explanation than the fact that those Nigerians were picked on because they were foreigners” Mr Soyode said in a press release sent to EMNnews.com.
In her own in Abuja, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa Chairman of House of Representative Committee on Diaspora condemned the incident expressing the concern of the committee over the incident:”This is another pathetic incident. We need an holistic look at this incensant cases. Last time it was Switzerland. The Ambassador apologised and that was the end of the matter then”, she fumed. She expressed the committee ’s concern over the plight of many Nigerians not being treated with dignity in some countries abroad.
“Although the circumstances of the killing is sketchy … the killing without established culpability demonstrates highhandedness on the part of the Polish police,” a statement from the ministry Foreign Affairs said.
Now, Police in in Warsaw’s Praga district, are looking deeper into the possibility of harassment on police officers on the scene prior to the killing.
“Now there are two sides to the investigation” according to top Police a source.
The District Public Prosecutor for Warsaw, Renata Mazur said investigation would centre on both an assault on police officers, and the second into the possible abuse of powers by the police which may have resulted in the accidental cause of death.
,Although the exact chain of events is still unclear, the preliminary police report points to a routine operation gone wrong.
“This man could have been saved and police officers started to resuscitate him, but they were repeatedly attacked with stones by a group of foreigners and were forced to defend themselves, and had to stop the resuscitation,” police spokesperson Mariusz Soko?owski told reporters.
According to him, six police officers were injured in the fighting and 32 foreigners were arrested. Twenty five face charges for assaulting police officers, which could lead to between one and ten years imprisonment.
An aide at the Polish Embassy in Nigeria, summoned by the local government, conveyed the condolences of the Polish government over the tragic incident.
She observed that the incident was not premeditated and did not reflect the Polish government’s policy or attitude towards Nigerians living in Poland., urging that this incident should not be allowed to spoil the otherwise excellent relations between Nigeria and Poland.
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This is one big shit of hole. Nigerians are treated as chicken not as country or nation , we must first loves ourself before will can get the right respect just like the turks or morrocans.
may his soul rest in peace
i was shopping on that day, it was blast of mouth, i mean big lies that the black man trys to struggle gun from police, he just went to calm the policeman when he was forcefully wickly arresting other black guys, the policeman lost his temper and shot the black man, after that all the black people in the market went angry and they started damaging police car, but they did not attack any policeman, in my opinion there was no life threat to this policeman from the black people.
Poland is a highly racist country .thanks to many witnesses who have been coming here to tell the real truth . that guy wasn’t the one who was being arrested , the police are liars and racist . i myself have had racist encounter with police .Poland is a Nazi country and packed with KKK and hate groups .even the polish press is highly racist .something must be done or else we may start revenging .i have been here for some years and i know what it is .many people from other part of the reading these story may not understand what it is like here to be black .they are devils!!!!!!
You’re a cretin Kay. Decrying racism and xenophobia and then going on and making blatanly racist generalizations about Poland. Calling Poland a Nazi country shows what an imbecile you are. I doubt that you know anything about Poland’s history. There is no way that you live in Poland. This is all made up. Prove it! Write something in Polish. Let’s see some photos of Polish KKK members. Yeah sure, you’re going to start revenging. I’ll wait for the facts to come out rather than relying on these legions of internet witnesses who claim that they were there.