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.
