Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation with about 150 million inhabitants. The population is split almost equally between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. There has been a long history of tension between the two religious faiths. There have been frequent clashes, the most recent in late July, 2009.
Extremist Boko Haram Group
Mohammed Yusuf was the leader of an Muslim sect. According to BBC News (July 31, 2009) Yusuf’s “group - known as Boko Haram or Taliban - wants to overthrow the Nigerian government and impose a strict version of Islamic law.” Yusuf had also expressed admiration for Osama bin Laden.
The British news organization reported that, “The group he led has been blamed for days of violent unrest. Hundreds of people have died in clashes between his followers and security forces.”
The recent outbreak of violence started on July 19 with attacks on police stations and spread through three states in northern Nigeria.
Mohammed Yusuf Captured
Security forces attacked Boko Haram’s headquarters in the northern city of Maiduguri on July 29, 2009. The next day they captured Yusuf and paraded him before journalists.
Shortly thereafter Yusuf was dead and several news organizations have reported similar events. The story on iafrica.com is typical: “An Agence France Presse journalist saw his naked, bullet-riddled body lying on the grounds of the police headquarters among two dozen others brought in earlier from parts of the city.
“Earlier a policeman told AFP Yusuf had ‘pleaded for mercy and forgiveness before he was shot.’ ”
The official line is that Yusuf had been shot while trying to escape.
Extrajudicial Killings no Uncommon in Nigeria
Human Rights Watch has condemned the shooting of Mohammed Yusuf. “The extrajudicial killing of Mr. Yusuf in police custody is a shocking example of the brazen contempt by the Nigerian police for the rule of law,” said Eric Guttschuss of the New York-based rights group.
Earlier BBC News carried a five-part series that began in April 2009 on the problems that exist within the Nigerian police force. Written by Andrew Walker, the reports said: “Everyone in Nigeria has experienced the failure of the police to carry out their duty to uphold the law - from the routine ‘dashing’ (bribe) money to officers at road checkpoints and failures to investigate crimes to horrifying tales of extortion and murder.”
Reform of Nigerian Police Force
The Nigerian government has released a White Paper that contains 79 recommendations for reform of the country’s police force, which includes:
- Improved hiring, training, and equipment;
- Raising monthly pay from around $40 to $100 for police constables;
- Installing a reliable public complaints system; and,
- Dismissing the estimated 10,000 police officers who have criminal records;
The report says the resources needed to accomplish the goal of changing the culture of the Nigerian police are “enormous.” It estimates it will take at least five years.
 |
