A woman, Veronica Samuel has narrated the horrible experience her family has had with the police in Abuja since the accidental shooting of her brother by some officers.
Veronica said her brother, Emmanuel Samuel, had gone to a viewing center to watch a football match and upon returning, saw officers with cocked guns. It was gathered that the officers sought to arrest someone at the centre.
The deceased was said to have warned the officers to desist from such to avoid accidental discharge.
However, some distance from the spot where the officers were standing, a bullet following a gunshot hit Emmanuel in the foot sending him to the ground.
His fiancé, Patience Abulku, who was with him, in a video shared by Punch, said he suddenly went down and lost a lot of blood.
Efforts to stop the flow of blood were partially unsuccessful as the first hospital he was rushed to requested a medical report. Abulku further said the police refused to issue such a report causing a huge loss of blood for Emmanuel who had to be taken to another hospital.
Still speaking, Veronica said her brother was in pains at the hospital he was rushed to when officers stormed the ward with handcuffs, attempting to arrest him.
Veronica said it took the efforts of the fiancé, Abulku, a friend and herself before the police left without accomplishing their mission.
Both Abulku and Veronica, however, called for justice from the Nigerian government and the police.
They asked the police to release the corpse of the deceased to them for a proper burial.
Abulku said, “Emmanuel is my fiancé. I went with Emma to Emperor Garden to watch football so policemen came to arrest a guy at the place. After that, they stood outside cocking their guns and directing them towards a path where pedestrians were strolling.
“I suddenly saw my fiance on the ground so I immediately grabbed him, asking what happened so we rushed him to General Hospital, Kubwa and they told us to bring a police report which I didn’t have. We rushed him to Kubwa Police Station so they could give us a police report, but they refused. The blood coming out of his body was very much so the police directed us to a clinic.
“The plans I had with Emma for this year; we wanted to get married this year. I don’t even know how to start, Emma dated me for three years, I don’t have anyone, only him. I don’t have anything, he was the one helping me. I don’t even know how to start my life now.
“Emma was very friendly with kids and adults, now we want to go and bury him but the police have refused to release his corpse. Every day we are paying N1,500. I need justice from the government, they should help us and release Emma’s corpse. We want justice.”
Also speaking, Veronica said, “I am the elder sister of Emmanuel Samuel who died on the 19th of July. The issue happened on 9th July, he went to watch football and he was a fan of the sport.
“I learnt the police had come to arrest someone else and that was the time Emma was also leaving. At that point, he heard a police person cock the gun, then Emmanuel told the policeman to direct his gun into the sky before they’d start telling stories of accidental discharge.
“He left, and on his way going, he heard a gunshot behind his legs. I saw my brother the following day, on 10th and he was so much in pains but I got to understand that the policemen came to check on him and to arrest him. But myself, his fiance and a friend refused to allow them, they wanted to handcuff someone that was in pains. We resisted it.
“He had been in pains in the hospital that the police referred us to. At the end of the day, I had to take him to Gwagwalada teaching hospital and he was already being treated. The doctor that attended to him asked us which hospital we had taken him to.
“He died and up till now, the police officers that shot him, we are yet to find out. We don’t know what is really happening. All we want is justice, Emma was a very loving person, he was very caring.
“He was someone who could give his life for anyone, he had impacted lives but he died a painful death. All we want is justice. I call on all Nigerians, anyone who can be of help should help us get justice.
“We went to the police station and we were to transfer the case from Gwagwalada to the headquarters here in Abuja and at the end of the day, the witnesses we have that saw when they shot Emma, the police locked them up. I went to give them food but the police denied us access to them. These are people that are supposed to be by us, but the police locked them up.”
