Family Accuses Police Of Shooting 21-Year-Old Son In Abuja

A 21-year-old man is receiving treatment in a hospital after allegedly being shot by police officers in Kubwa, Abuja, on November 9, 2024.

Osun Defender reports that the incident occurred at a police checkpoint around 7:00 p.m., where the young man was reportedly approached by five armed officers who attempted to extort him of N200,000.

According to a relative of the victim, the police accused the young man of involvement in internet fraud (commonly referred to as “Yahoo”), a crime he denied.

Fearing for his safety, the victim reportedly fled the scene but fell into a ditch while attempting to escape.

The police allegedly shot at him during the chase and left him injured.

“Yesterday, the 9th of November 2024 at about 6:40pm – 7pm, the Nigeria Police @PoliceNG at the FO1 Kubwa Sokale checkpoint (Abuja) 5 in number and armed, surrounded and tried to extort my 21-year-old brother the sum of N200,000 for an alleged (yahoo crime as they call it) that he didn’t commit. After sensing he was in danger, he took to his heels and they shot at him and left him for dead in a ditch and dispersed when they thought he had died,” the relative said.

The relative described how the bullet missed the victim, but he sustained severe injuries, including a broken leg and significant bleeding from the fall. Despite his condition, the police reportedly showed little concern, telling the family, “Thank God he is alive.”

READ: Outrage As Policemen Harass, Extort N1m From Young Nigerian (Video)

The relative shared a photo of the victim’s X-ray showing the broken leg, with the young man lying in a hospital bed.

The victim’s injuries are severe, and the family fears long-term consequences.

DrLove, a social media activist who shared the story, also expressed his outrage over the incident, commenting on the brutal nature of the police’s actions.

“They shot him and destroyed his leg. Firstly, they accused him of being a Yahoo boy. Then, they demanded N200k for him to set himself free. 200k for bribery to bail himself out of a crime he didn’t commit. I wake up every morning and go to work wondering if I’m next. There are many cases like this you haven’t heard of. Young boys, gone. For what?”

He added, “Almost bled to death in that ditch and even after surviving, he might not walk with that leg again.”

DrLove also expressed his dismay over the repeated pattern of police violence, questioning why such incidents continue to plague the Nigerian police force.

“Why always the police? Police aren’t the only force in Nigeria legalised with guns. The army and military are there. We’ve never really called them out for incidents such as this. How are they trained? It’s really sad. How did we get here? This is not freedom.”