I Was Shot by Army Personnel—–Denis Timothy
….agonized mother cries out for justice, my son’s life is in danger.
By Our Correspondent –Kaduna
“The day the news came to me, I ran out naked as God created me because I know my son is a peace loving young man who will never be involved in any mob action. Please the Army authority and the Presidency should come to our rescue. Let them investigate to find out what happened on the 9th of June, 2017 at Command Secondary School junction, Kaduna. I can assure you that my son, Denis is innocent”.
Those were the piecing words of an agonized mother of Denis Timothy, a 29 years old graduate of accountancy from the Kaduna state university, an abandoned victim of a gunshot by the Nigeria Army personnel crying out for justice as the son is in dear need of assistance to scan and remove the bullet that has been in his system for the past two months.
Denis who is now confined to a wheelchair because he has been paralyzed as a result of the gun shot said he served in Cross River State and after his meritorious service to the nation was enrolled by the Kaduna State Government into the N-Power scheme and attached to LEA Primary School, Kakuri in Kaduna South Local Government Area.
Narrating his ordeal of 9th June, 2017 to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, Denis has called on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Army (NA) authority to come to his rescue and save him from pains and agony he is currently passing through.
According to him, he was on his way home when he saw crowd gathered at the Total Filing station opposite Command Secondary School. Unaware of the army dispersing protesting youth at Television village in Chukun Local Government Area, suddenly, he saw the crowd running towards his direction and he was left with no option but to also run for his dear life. He fell down and found himself in his pool of blood
“A good Samaritan picked me up and took me to a house and was later taken to Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, where I spent three weeks before I was referred to 44 Nigeria Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna. After attending to me for over two months, the medical team informed me that the bullet is still within my system and I have to do scanning which will cost me N180,000, but unfortunately my family cannot raise the money because they have virtually sold everything for me to stay alive.
“Since I came back from the hospital I cannot pass out urine unless with the help of uretic Catheter (tube) and when I defecate someone helps to clean me up. Life has not been the same for me since then. I was a young man full of hope for better things before that black 9th June, 2017, when my life was turned around.
“The painful aspect of it is that the soldier who shot me never showed any remorse. When my senior brother wrote a letter to General Officer Commanding, 1 Division of Nigeria Army, Kaduna, there was no respond. And when my brother visited the Headquarters, an army officer asked him how is he sure that the bullet that hit his brother was fired by an army personnel, and therefore sent him away and warned him never to set foot at the headquarters again.
“I am dying gradually whereas those who put me in this situation do not care. God knows I was returning back from my place of assignment. I was not part of the protesters, but look at where I find myself. Somebody should help me, especially President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai. I don’t want to die from a sin I did not commit,” he lamented.
Mother of the victim, Mrs. Asaba Timothy, said she has sold everything that is sellable in the house and now the family is moving to put their only property on sale to see if they can save Denis.
“All the money we spent during his three months stay in 44 Nigeria Army Reference Hospital was donations from friends and relations. And we still paid these monies to the Nigeria Army who shot him and when we could no longer pay the bills, they sent us packing. Somebody should listen to the wailing of a distressed mother who is seeing her child dying gradually.
“All I am begging the Nigeria Army and the Presidency is to help and give my son medical attention that will save his life. Nothing more, nothing less,” she said.
When contacted the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Div Kaduna, Col Kingsley Umoh, said he just landed at the Lagos airport on his way for an assignment and promised to call back. But at the time of filing in this report he has not called back.
