A resident of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Bello Akubuokwu, on Wednesday, gave a chilling account of how he was shot and abandoned by the Police in 2019.
According to him, the incident occurred on July 22, 2019, the day Police clashed with protesting members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), commonly known as Shiite sect.
“It happened on July 22, 2019, after I got a text message from IBTC bank at Area 11 in Garki, to come and update my records.
“From Mararaba where I stay, I stoped at the Court of Appeal to connect to Garki through the Police Headquarters. That was in the morning when people were going to work.
“Then I heard a bullet. I didn’t know what was happening, but all of a sudden I started feeling pain and blood started gushing out.
“I asked what was happening and was told that Police were shooting at Shiite members.
“I managed and dragged myself with the blood to the police office, but they didn’t allow me in. When I was there, they brought bucket of water which I poured on the wound.
“From there I was adviced by passersby to go to hospital. On getting to Garki hospital, people with bullet wounds were too much and there was no space.
“I was then directed to the National Hospital. When I initially got there, I didn’t see much people with bullet wounds. But before long, police brought more people in a truck that had various bullet wounds.
It became serious that I could not get bed space again. I was however treated and I left.
“The following day at Mararaba, the left hand where the bullet passed through had swollen up. The pain was so much and I could no longer go to the hospital, so I arranged with a private medical practitioner close to my house to be coming to my home to give me treatment”.
He claimed that he was incapacitated for about two months owing to the bullet wound on his left arm.
Addressing the 11-member investigating panel, counsel to the victim, Mr. Frank Tietie, asked for prompt and adequate compensation for the injury his client suffered.
The lawyer also tendered some documents in evidence that included medical report from the National Hospital in Abuja, the index card of the victim, prescriptions that were given to him, as well as his medical bill.
He said his client is seeking monetary compensation to the tune of N25million for the injury, loss of earnings and trauma he passed through.
Meanwhile, the victim has insisted that the source of the stray bullet that hit him, came from the Nigerian Police Force.
“It was the day Shiite members were protesting at the National Secretariat in Abuja.
“After I was hit by the bullet, the closest place I could run to for safety was the Police secondary school close to the Force Headquarters.
“When I got there I met some Mopol, they asked me what happened and I told them that I was hit by a bullet. Though I passed through the gate, the Police officers did not allow me into their office.
Fortunately, from X-ray that was carried out by the National Hospital, I was told that the bullet passed through my arm. It did not lodge into my skin”.
He stated that as an Estate Manager and private business man, he makes over N200, 000 every month.
The panel adopted all the documents that were annexed to the hand-written petition dated October 26, and marked them as exhibits A to G.
Chairman of the panel, Justice Galadima (rtd), subsequently adjourned the case till November 16, for continuation of hearing and for the Inspector General of Police, IGP, who was listed as the sole Respondent in the petition, to enter his response.
“Today’s proceeding is to be made available to the Respondent accordingly”, Chairman of the panel held.
Though a second petition that one Mr. Francis Ogbaji lodged against SARS, FCT Command, its former leader, ACP Mantu, State CID FCT, Commissioner of Police FCT Command and the IGP, was called up, the panel however adjourned it to November 17.