Rita Odafe
Trial of Nigerian Man for Attacking Police in Germany
A 36-year-old Nigerian individual, known as Wisdom .O, faces trial for attempted manslaughter and other charges after allegedly assaulting three police officers within 16 hours in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Wisdom resides in an asylum facility located in Soest, North Rhine-Westphalia, and has reportedly spent several years living in Italy before relocating to Germany.
The proceedings commenced on February 3, 2025. Prosecutors assert that his goal was to harm police officers during an incident on a night train last year.
On July 5, 2024, after receiving €200 from his sister, Wisdom purchased crack cocaine at the Karlsruhe Central Station. He reportedly consumed the drug and acted violently towards a child, grabbing the child’s shoulder.
When police intervened to assist the child, Wisdom resisted and bit one of the officers, leading to minor injuries to three police personnel during the altercation.
Later that night, at 1:50 a.m., Wisdom attempted to board a train without a ticket. Police confronted him, and he reacted violently. According to a police spokesperson, “The man put up considerable resistance and repeatedly stabbed the officers from behind with a cutter knife.”
One officer sustained stab wounds to the head, arm, and hand, while another was injured on the leg. Both required hospitalization and are currently unable to work as they recover.
After the incident, Wisdom was let go by the public prosecutor but continued to travel without a ticket. On Saturday, at approximately 7 a.m., while being checked by police, he attacked an officer once more, gripping him by the arm.
During this encounter, “The suspect was brought to the ground and temporarily arrested,” noted the police officer. Despite applying for an arrest warrant twice, both requests were declined without explanation.
Days later, Wisdom was apprehended in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, based on a valid arrest order.
In court, Wisdom denied any wrongdoing, stating, “I have not committed any crimes.” He claimed that he only intended to clean his fingernails with the knife and suggested that the officers were injured during their attempts to disarm him.
