A LIB reader shares his story below...
My name is John Membu. I would like to use this medium
to narrate how I almost lost my life due to the
recklessness of a police officer. This incident occurred
on Thursday the 8 at about 10pm . At Chevy view estate
gate. Which is opposite the chevron office complex. I was
in the company of friends and we were just returning
from the traditional wedding of a friend .on approaching
the gate we saw that there was traffic . so I came down
from my Car to see the cause. On getting there, I saw a
truck carrying iron rods and these were escorted by two
policemen. I asked what the problem was and apparent
found out that the estate had a time curfew for trucks to
enter.
So I pleaded with the police man to tell the driver to
reverse the truck so that the cars can go in to ease the
traffic situation. The officer was quite irritated at the fact
that the gate wasn't opened so he wasn't very pleasant.
Pleas by the residents of the estate fell on deaf ears as he
had hardened his resolve to enter the estate. This now
agitated the residents as the started questioning the
motive of the policemen. The police officer was visibly
upset because one of the residents had asked if escorting
iron rods was his job description. All this while I was
beside the truck trying to persuade them to reverse the
truck. One angry resident now came began to warn the
policemen that this behaviour was unacceptable that he
was going to deal with them. The younger officer now
spoke but was shut down by the man . this didn't go down
well with him. And he threatened to deal with this man.
He immediately corked his rifle and muttered some insult
in Hausa. I now back away and walked towards the gate
when a shot rang out. I ran into the security post . I
suddenly felt a numbness in my right leg and was puzzled
cos I don't remember hitting any hard object. I now felt
something trickling down my leg and I discovered to my
horror that I had been shot in my rights leg.
After much fuss and loosing a lot of blood i was taken to
UDECO MEDICAL CENTER in the estate where they were
able to stop the bleeding and put me in their emergency
ward. I lay in that hospital bed for about 2 weeks and all
through my stay I was only visited by the police 3times. I
even found out that the initial deposit was paid by my
brother in law. Getting out of the critical phase I was
advised by the doctor to contact the police force to
inquire how my bill was to be settled I asked my lawyer
Mr Laolu shyllon. To go represent me . I never got any
feed back from them as they were nonchalant at first to
settle my hospital bill . I decided to pay for my bill which
came up to 347 thousand naira. I am shocked ,upset and
disappointed . I have never felt more how meaningless
my life is as a Nigerian citizen. If I didn't have the deposit
to pay or tell the doctor I would settle the bill I don't think
I would be around sending this email. Does Human life
not have value any more. If the case was the reverse that
I shot a police officer where would I be now ,yet the
policeman who shot me is now AWOL. And nobody wants
to take responsibility. Instead am being bullied and taken
for granted. I understand that my case is not peculiar that
I was one of the lucky police gunshot victims because am
alive. I made the decisione to tell my story because am
hoping it gets around until something can be done about
police recklessness, callous attitude towards the lives of
people they are suppose to be protecting
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