Andrew Abel, 36, a bricklayer in Umuahia, Abia State, who was allegedly shot by a police officer during the #EndSARS protest on October 22, 2020, tells SUNDAY NWAKANMA how the incident has left him dejected and caused his family sorrow
When did the incident happen?
It happened on the morning of October 22, 2020 when I came to lock up my shop located on Aba road, Umuahia. I didn’t know what was happening and was at the front of my shop asking people what was happening as I saw people running. While I was there, I turned to see policemen driving close to me. There was a petrol tanker on the main road and I did not see them (policemen) in time. So, when people started running and I was about to also run, a policeman at the back of one of the police patrol vans shot at me at close range while I was running inside my shade. The bullet went through a container usually used as a shop and hit me in the thigh. The police came with two Hilux vans and one army van. The occupants of the army van stopped and asked the policeman why he shot me. They started having some argument and later drove away. The policemen left me there to die and drove away.
Did you get help when you were shot?
People had already fled the area. When I started crying and shouting that I had been shot, I removed my trouser and tied my thigh. People later came out from their hiding places and carried me to the main road and a tricyclist carried me to a hospital. The workers at the hospital said they would not attend to me as it was a serious case, stating instead that I should be taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia. I was there for over 30 minutes, pleading with the hospital that I was dying, until one of my friends, who is a reverend father there, came out and asked me how it happened. I was already in a pool of blood. After telling him, he pleaded with the hospital that if left untreated, I would bleed to death as there was no more movement in Umuahia and that no vehicle would be willing to go to the FMC, Umuahia. At that point, I almost fainted, before the hospital started treating me.
Did you report the shooting at any police station?
No, I did not.
Why?
I did not because, while I was there, a team of policemen came to the hospital, asking hospital staff if anyone with a gunshot wound was brought into the hospital. Out of fears, they were told that no such person was brought into the hospital.
How have you been coping with the injury?
I am still in pain now and I have spent a lot of money in the hospital. The amount is more than N300, 000. Even the drugs prescribed for me, I have not bought all of them because I don’t have money again. I no longer have the money to buy the injections the hospital prescribed for me. This has made me pass through severe physical and psychological pains. My condition has had a serious effect on my family as there is no other way the family can feed except I come out and run my business. It is the only way through which we feed. Since the incident occurred, feeding has been a problem in the family. My children have dropped out of school. I have two boys and many others that depend on me, including parents and in-laws, brothers and sisters.
How do you want to be assisted?
I want the government at all levels to come to my assistance financially to enable me to feed my family and to offset my medical bills. All the money used for my treatment did not come from my pocket. I borrowed from friends on the condition that I would pay later. The federal and state governments should come to my rescue to feed my family and pay back what I borrowed, and to enable my children go back to school. The government should also fish out the police officer that shot me and punish him.
Were you involved in the #EndSARS protest?
I was not involved in any protest. I just came to lock up my shop when I was deliberately shot by the police officer. Not minding that the protest was because of the conditions of the youths in Nigeria, I want to remind them (youths) that trouble is not the best way to resolve issues. They should go and discuss with the government. The government should also look after the youths as the youths are the leaders of tomorrow. They should assist the youths, even if it is in the area of education. It is bad that after graduating, the youths end up driving tricycles, working in the filling stations and molding blocks. This is bad because there are those aged 80 and above who are still working as civil servants, while the youths are at home doing nothing. So, the government should come out with what they will do for the youths so that they will have something to do. It is unemployment that caused the problem. If they have something to do, there will be no problem.