This sunday morning, just a little past 9 a.m, August 31st, 2014, my wife and son were shot at, by a soldier, in full Nigerian army fatigue, at the junction of Ali Akilu and Alkali roads by SCOA, in Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State. My wife, Justice Hajara Gwadah and son, Saminu Gwadah, were on their way to church.
According to the account given by my wife and son, my son was driving, and in front was a civilian car which was itself following a Jeep/Toyota Hillux full of armed army personnel. My son, as were the two vehicles in front of him, were slowing down for traffic control. Suddenly, he saw a soldier in the open Jeep, which was beginning to turn left into Alkali road, cock his gun and shot at him.
Thoroughly shaken, he guided the car to the side, missing a few collisions to his right. They noticed smoke from the bonnet of their car. At the same time the vehicle carrying the soldiers had parked on Alkali road and two armed soldiers in battle mode approached them and shouted: “you were too close! Don’t try it again.” Then they went back to their Jeep and drove off.
When the car bonnet was opened, it was noticed that the bullet had destroyed the radiator, the compressor, part of the engine block, and a few soft parts.
According to my wife and son, there was no siren, and there was a civilian car between their car and the military Jeep. I went to interview the three traffic wardens controlling traffic at the junction. Their account corroborated that of my wife and son. They added that the civilian car between the Jeep and my family’s car probably contained a V I P the soldiers chaperoned.
Thank God the car took the bullet, and mercifully God averted something worse.
This account is put down for the record. I am not familiar with any military control levels. However if you read this and you know any military brass in this area, tell them the war front is not in Kaduna metropolis. Real soldiers should go salvage Nigerian territory in Borno and Yobe and Adamawa, and stop shooting at defenseless women and children in Kaduna.
Before this morning I had been under the illusion that soldiers were well trained and would only shoot when there was an imminent threat to their person or those who move around in tinted vehicles who the soldiers baby sit. What threat could a woman and a young man dressed for church pose for fully armed soldiers?
What is clear is that it is difficult now to distinguish between the Nigerian army personnel and terrorists. Apparently, both wear fatigues, carry guns and have in their heads worms instead of brains.
There was, indeed, a country.
Bitrus Gwadah, Esq.
August 31, 2014
