A 22-year old man said to have been hit by a stray bullet during the recent clash between security operatives and commercial motorcyclists at Karu, a suburb of Abuja is presently languishing at the National Hospital, Abuja where he was allegedly taken by security operatives.
Speaking from his sick bed, Huzaifa Abdullahi, said he met his fate while returning from a nearby mosque where he had gone to observe afternoon prayers.
He said he was taken to about three hospitals by some soldiers and was rejected before being dumped at the Abuja National Hospital.
The victim said he came to Abuja from Gwamlar village in Mangu local government area of Plateau state, where he attends secondary school.
One of his relatives, Tijjani Mubarak, said they were slapped with a bill of N35,000 by the hospital after locating the victim a day after the incident.
“We are now faced with the means of footing the bill which is likely to soar,” he added.
Meanwhile, some traders close to the scene, who spoke with our reporter on the incident, explained how they escaped the trouble.
A fruits seller, who gave his name as Hamza Subsidy said many people around took to their heels when they heard the arrival of police and watched from afar.
“We sighted policemen firing indiscriminately to disperse the protesters,” he alleged.
A pharmacy attendant, Adeyemi Elijah, said the glass of his pharmacy was smashed by the gun shots.
“We thank God that it was not a working day, it might have hit our cashier, considering the direction of the bullet,” he said.
When contacted, FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Hyelira Altine Daniel said the police are not aware of any dead or injured person during the incident.
She said the trouble was purely between some military men and the Okada protesters and that the police were only called in to return normalcy.
Chief of Staff, Directorate of Army Public Relations, Colonel John Agim, had earlier said that no one died in the clash.
“A soldier cautioned a cyclist over an incidence and the rider was not happy. So, he mobilized his collogues, who carried placards to protest the soldier’s action. Police later dispersed the protesters and there was no casualty. No property was damaged,” he said.
Also commenting, a community leader in the area, Alhaji Isma’ila Musa, the Madakin Sarkin Hausawa of Karu, condemned the motorcyclists’ action but called on the military to leave matter of civic relations to policemen and concentrate on their primary assignment.
The incident occurred when a motorcyclist was severely punished by security operatives in the area.
The motorcyclists were said to have mobilized and embarked on protest over the treatment meted to their colleague, but the ensuing clash with soldiers resorted in the smashing of several vehicles around.
Security operatives later deployed and put the situation under control.
He said he was taken to about three hospitals by some soldiers and was rejected before being dumped at the Abuja National Hospital.
The victim said he came to Abuja from Gwamlar village in Mangu local government area of Plateau state, where he attends secondary school.
One of his relatives, Tijjani Mubarak, said they were slapped with a bill of N35,000 by the hospital after locating the victim a day after the incident.
“We are now faced with the means of footing the bill which is likely to soar,” he added.
Meanwhile, some traders close to the scene, who spoke with our reporter on the incident, explained how they escaped the trouble.
A fruits seller, who gave his name as Hamza Subsidy said many people around took to their heels when they heard the arrival of police and watched from afar.
“We sighted policemen firing indiscriminately to disperse the protesters,” he alleged.
A pharmacy attendant, Adeyemi Elijah, said the glass of his pharmacy was smashed by the gun shots.
“We thank God that it was not a working day, it might have hit our cashier, considering the direction of the bullet,” he said.
When contacted, FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Hyelira Altine Daniel said the police are not aware of any dead or injured person during the incident.
She said the trouble was purely between some military men and the Okada protesters and that the police were only called in to return normalcy.
Chief of Staff, Directorate of Army Public Relations, Colonel John Agim, had earlier said that no one died in the clash.
“A soldier cautioned a cyclist over an incidence and the rider was not happy. So, he mobilized his collogues, who carried placards to protest the soldier’s action. Police later dispersed the protesters and there was no casualty. No property was damaged,” he said.
Also commenting, a community leader in the area, Alhaji Isma’ila Musa, the Madakin Sarkin Hausawa of Karu, condemned the motorcyclists’ action but called on the military to leave matter of civic relations to policemen and concentrate on their primary assignment.
The incident occurred when a motorcyclist was severely punished by security operatives in the area.
The motorcyclists were said to have mobilized and embarked on protest over the treatment meted to their colleague, but the ensuing clash with soldiers resorted in the smashing of several vehicles around.
Security operatives later deployed and put the situation under control.
Source:Dailytrust
Link:http://dailytrust.info/index.php/city-news/2692-man-hit-by-stray-bullet-in-karu-protest-abandoned-in-hospital
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