Nurudeen Azeez, a graduate of Ibadan Polytechnic, has publicly recounted the traumatic events of August 16, 2021, when he alleges a police officer shot him, leaving him paralysed and unable to work for the past five years. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. in the Idiakwe area of Ibadan, shortly after he returned from Lagos and hired a motorcycle to take him home.
Shooting Incident and Immediate Aftermath
According to Azeez, he was riding on the motorcycle when he heard gunshots and fell to the ground. "Immediately, I just hear the gunshots. Immediately, I fell from the bike," he recalled. The officer who fired the shot then approached him, appearing visibly shaken and sweating, and asked him to stand up. When Azeez said he could not move, the officer left with his colleagues in a golf car, abandoning him on the road.
A female colleague who recognized him stopped to help, using his phone to contact friends while bystanders gathered. Some passersby chased the officers in a private vehicle, but one person urged them to prioritize getting Azeez to a hospital.
Medical and Legal Obstacles
Azeez was taken to Moli Hospital in the area, but the facility refused to treat him without a police report. His friends had to travel to Testagram Police Station to obtain the necessary documentation before he could receive medical attention. The bullet was eventually removed, but the paralysis persisted.
Five Years of Struggle and Unfulfilled Dreams
In an emotional statement, Azeez expressed his despair: "I've been dreaming high, not knowing police shut everything off for me. I want to work. I need my life back. Things has changed." He described the incident as the destruction of everything he had built and hoped for, noting that his dreams as a polytechnic graduate were wiped out in a single moment.
Context of Police Brutality in Nigeria
This case adds to the growing concerns about police conduct in Nigeria. In a related incident, the Delta police command condemned the public execution of a suspect by an officer in Effurun, stating that the officer had been arrested and transferred to force headquarters for disciplinary action. These incidents highlight the urgent need for accountability and reform within the Nigerian police force.
