- Shoot at citizens unprovoked
- Bullets fired pointblank and stray ones injure persons
- Attempt at cover-up fail
There was real horror on Thursday, 15 th of August, 2024 in Atan Offot community in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State when some dare-devil untamed officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attacked the peaceful community, opening sporadic gunfire at citizens, mortally injuring at least three persons, who are now lying critically ill, but responding to treatment in various hospitals in Uyo.
At some minutes pass 10 O’clock in the morning of this fateful day, officials of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Company, led by a certain Daniel, who was described as a “notorious serial extortioner and thief who steals customers cables”, led very “untrained and uncivilized officers of the NSCDC” in the words of Abasifreke Godwin Etim, who was physically assaulted by the team, into the community, where the PHED officials disconnected some customers, and made to cart away their cable.
One of the owners of the cable requested to have his cable back, insisting that his cable be left for him, but the said Daniel collected a jack knife from one of the NSCDC officials, and stabbed one persons in the hand.
A certain NSCDC female official, squatted on the ground on one knee, and opened sporadic fire in the community, and persons who were not even at the scene of the scuffle, were hit by stray bullets. And three persons were visited by our Correspondent: they include a woman who hit on the neck, a young man shot pointblank in the leg, and another visitor who was passing by the road, and was hit in the hand and the buttocks.
The PHED official that procured the NSCDC officers to carry out this unprovoked attacks on the citizens, got reinforcement from the police, and went round the community arresting, assaulting, harassing, and brutalizing citizens, including minors.
The police arrived at the scene led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of “C” Division, who sprang into action to appraise the situation, professionally. And having done this appraisal, advised the NSCDC officials, reminding them of the was arms should be used in a community, but he was insulted and openly challenged by the NSCDC officials who said tht they don’t take orders from the police.
After getting those arrested unjustly released, he went round to pick the expended shells fired from the riffles of NSCDC officials, particularly the female officer who vowed to kill members of the community. The shells were taken to the divisional headquarters of the “C” of the Nigerian Police, where appropriate actions would be taken.
Meanwhile, reports filtering in from the State Headquarters of the NSCDC has it that the defaulting officer, ostensibly conscious of the repercussion of her actions, feigned injuries, made incisions on her body to extract blood, and it was claimed that she was attacked by the community, and was rushed to the hospital.
The culprit and defaulting female officer, who opened fire on the community with her male colleague, eventually denied responsibility for the shootings. The police may have commenced investigations into the matter, as the Village Head, Eteidung Alfred Ekong had to make Statement to the police on what happened.
Helen Ime Okon explained while in great pains from her hospital bed that, she was bending down to attend to some chores, as a food vendor, when she was struck by a stray bullet at the back of her neck, and lost consciousness. It was people around that rushed her to the hospital, where she was responding to treatment.
Another citizen who sells her wares of raw and cooked items and vegetables at the IBB Avenue and Ukana Ebet Lane entrance, was assaulted, arrested, beaten, tortured, molested and robbed by the rampaging NSCDC officers who took away her purse, having assaulted her, Abasifreke Godwin Etim, lamented how she was beaten and robbed by theNSCDC officials who made to force her into a waiting vehicle.
In her words, “I was standing by my wares when the vehicle drove and stopped where I was. The female officer with a gun alighted, rushed towards me and started slapping me before others joined. A male officer brought out Tear gas, sprayed on me, and in the confusion of trying to whisk me away, my bag, containing about One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (N140,000) meant for purchase of more wares from the market, was snatched by them
“They beat my 14-year old daughter who was crying, and knelt down to beg them to leave me alone. The mark of the bruises and the pepperish effect of the Tear gas is still all over my body. They had attempted to put the Tear Gas in my private part, but I resisted, and got the beatings of my life. They eventually scattered my wares on the table. Aside my purse containing the money, they did not take aware any other thing”, when she was interviewed at some minutes to 9pm on Thursday, 15th of August, 2024.
Samuel James, resident of the community who just returned from work, had his car fired upon, and one of the front tires got hit by a bullet. When he sought to know why his vehicle was fired upon, the NSCDC officials harassed him, and the Lead PHED official ordered the police which was invited to reinforce the rampaging NSCDC officials, to handcuff him, and throw him into the waiting van.
It took the DPO of “C” upon his arrival, and after hearing from him, and appraising the situation, to order him uncuffed, released, and advised to make his Statement to the police at “C” Division; which he made.
Idongesit Ime Edet, a citizen, was shot pointblank by the aggressive female NSCDC officer, who aimed the nozzle of her riffle, and fired his leg, when he went out to confirm the reason for the shouting and shootings he heard.
When he was hit and cried out in pains, the woman continued to sporadically fire her, without looking in his direction, to show remorse that she had shot someone.
Convener of the Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, Clifford Thomas, a Human Rights Lawyer, has vowed to take up the matter with the appropriate authorities, to ensure that justice is done to all persons, and that this belligerence is not repeated in the society.
Speaking with our Correspondent, he stated that, “the Civil Defence Corps in not civil in its dealings with the civil populace. How can an armed personnel without provocation, open fire at citizens without let? The Akwa Ibonm State Command of the Nigeria Police has been very civil in this State. The DSS, even the Nigerian Army, have shown extreme caution and civility in relating with the civil populace. You now know that the police is your friend, in relation to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps
The officers involved in this infraction and near-unlawful killing situation should be apprehended, investigated, prosecuted, and the appropriate sanctions imposed according to the laws of the land. We shall Brief our team of Lawyers, involve all known Human Rights organizations, including the National Human Rights Commission, and the NBA Uyo Human Rights Committee.”
Meanwhile, the NSCDC is working seriously on the lies and denials of the offending officers of the NSCDC, and officials of the PHED, who instigated the assault, to misrepresent the true facts of the matter.
Pictures and videos should had been made, this would had made evidence more easier, but with professional handling by the police the evidence would be prove perfect. The riffle is another close evident.