Emmanuel Madubuezi, an erstwhile student of the Port Harcourt Polytechnic, has dragged the Nigerian Army to court in a ₦1billion suit after losing his leg to a stray bullet shot by a soldier.
Other defendants in the suit include the Chief of Army Staff, the Attorney General of the Federation, and popular sports betting company, Bet9ja.
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Temitope Akinyode Madubuezi filed the suit before the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, through his lawyer.
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The plaintiff was hit by a stray bullet while seated in a tricycle on his way to school on the 14th of September 2017.
The bullet reportedly pierced through his left leg before hitting an aged woman seated next to him, who later died as the impact of the bullet made her fell off the tricycle.
In a suit filed with number: FHC/PH/FHR/118/2020, Madubueze prays the court to declare that the gunshot which hit him and caused the amputation of his leg was a contravention on his fundamental human right to life, human dignity and freedom of movement.
In another supporting affidavit, Madubueze revealed he had been confined to using crutches since the incident occurred about three years ago.
Before now, the army had rejected the applicant’s demand to be paid ₦150million for damages, stating that it could not be held responsible for the wrongdoing of a soldier was errant.
The army however revealed that the soldier who shot the applicant had been charged. This was contained in a letter with reference number AHQ DCMA/G1/300/130 signed by Brig. Gen Emmanuel Aladeniyi, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff.
The army in narrating what happened, disclosed that one Corporal Augustine Jacob alongside eleven other soldiers were deployed to Stalling Oil Company to offer protection for a property.
Along the line, one Mr. Amadi illegally secured the services of Corporal Jacob, together with four other soldiers to settle a fracas at his Bet9ja shop, situated inside the Big Tree Market in Port Harcourt.
Corporal Jacob had gone upstairs to the Bet9ja office with Mr Amada, while the other soldiers remained downstairs on arrival at the shop.
A bullet was released from one of the soldiers downstairs who mistakenly pulled the trigger of his gun.
Investigations revealed that the soldier’s gunshot had consequently hit Madubueze who was heading for school in a tricycle.
Madubueze was rushed to Life Fort Hospital were he could not be placed on admission due to limited bed spaces at the time.
He was later taken to the Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital before the amputation of his leg on September 25, 2017 at Holy Trinity Hospital.