Abuja Orphan Who Was Shot By Vigilantes By Sleeping In His Room Undergoes Surgery

The family of Abdulmalik Abubakar and Ibrahim Abdullahi, two Nigerian brothers, who were allegedly shot by members of a vigilance group in the Bobota/Dabi Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, have spoken up.

The family urged the police to probe the incident.

A sister to the victims, Jemilah, who spoke with Punch Metro correspondent on Wednesday, said the family wanted justice, adding that the police had not done enough since her brothers were shot on Sunday.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Tuesday that the brothers were sleeping in their room on Sunday, July 9, when members of the vigilance group invaded the premises and started shooting.

It was learnt that one of the bullets hit the two brothers in the leg and lap respectively and in a bid to rescue them, the duo were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Contacted, one of the alleged culprits, identified simply as Abdulkareem, had said he was part of the vigilance members but denied being part of the team that shot the victims.

“I don’t know who shot them. I am part of the vigilante, I don’t know. I am a hunter and a vigilante. It’s not me, please,” he said.

However, Jemilah who spoke from the hospital where Abdulmalik was receiving treatment, said one of the brothers had been discharged from the hospital and the other, who was hit by a bullet in the leg, would be undergoing surgery.

“It is justice that we want. Up till now, we have not heard anything from the police. We learnt that one of the suspects was arrested. We don’t even have money for surgery. They are demanding N120,000. All of us are orphans,” Jemilah said.

A resident in the area and friend of the victims, Ibrahim Abdulrahman, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Wednesday, lamented the security situation.

“What we want is that the police should find out those people that did it and why they did it because we don’t even know who is who now. Everybody is now carrying guns in the community and bad things keep happening,” Abdulrahman said.

Also, a civil society organisation, the Take It Back Movement, urged the police to immediately probe the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.

The group’s Director, Juwon Sanyaoulu, in a WhatsApp chat with our correspondent on Wednesday said, “Three days after being shot on foot by an armed vigilante group alongside his 19-year old brother, Abdulmalik Abubakar, is now being moved for surgery. “Unfortunately, the police are yet to make a single arrest. The police must immediately look into the case and bring the perpetrators to book.”

Contacted for a reaction, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, promised to find out from the Divisional Police Officer handling the matter.

“Let me find out. Let me ask the DPO,” she simply told The PUCNH