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My Ordeal in The Hands of Nigerian Police Man




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 3 times.  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 decision 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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