Twenty-seven-year-old Gabriel Michael, who was hit on Tuesday by a stray bullet at Sapon area, one of the epic centres of the fierce protest that shook Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital over the cash and fuel scarcity that put residents on edge, has narrated his experience.
Michael, who is recuperating at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Federal Medical Centre Idi Aba, Abeokuta, told our reporter that he did not immediately know what struck him on that day until some seconds later when he fell forward, felt sharp pains and burning sensation at the point of bullet entry, and could barely remember what followed afterwards.
The young man who spoke briefly in Yoruba language from his hospital bed on Thursday evening, said he was just crossing the road when the bullet caught him, adding that it happened at the time he was also trying to call his brother who was some feet away from him so they could leave the area because of the volatile situation on that Tuesday.
It was gathered that the bullet is still lodged in his chest region and has not been extracted but doctors attending to his condition have been able to stabilise him.
It was also learnt that if it is established that the location of the bullet in his body poses no risk to his life or health, there may not be any need to extract it.
Michael was full of gratitude to God that the bullet did not hit him in a delicate part of the body or strayed into any of the vital organs.
He said, “When I approached the Access Bank area (in Sapon) around Iyana Eleja junction, I wanted to call my brother so that we go home because of the volatile situation at the time and there were many people in front of us.
I wanted to cross the road and immediately I crossed, bullets just struck me. I did not know immediately and a second after, I fell forward, felt burning or peppery sensation at the point of entry and then blood rushed out.
“I’m grateful to God that the bullets did not hit me in a delicate part of the body. It would have been a different issue my family will be talking about today.
Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has visited him at the hospital and pledged to pick up the medical bill.
Abiodun, while acknowledging the staff of the Federal Medical Center for responding quickly when the victim was rushed to the hospital, noted that the shooting could have been averted if the people were patient with the government
