Nigeria has been through a few things.
Thursday the 16th of June, 2011, was a slow news day for me. It was a few days after the ex Inspector General of police, Hafiz Ringim had said the days of Boko Haram were numbered. Little did I know that things would change very quickly.
Thursday the 16th of June, 2011, was a slow news day for me. It was a few days after the ex Inspector General of police, Hafiz Ringim had said the days of Boko Haram were numbered. Little did I know that things would change very quickly.
I was in a commercial Toyota Hiace Bus on my way to the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, when I heard what sounded like a distant explosion. I was curious to know what made the sound. When I got off the bus a few seconds later, I saw a thick plume of smoke in the distance.
I began to walk in the direction of the smoke. I realized it was coming from Louis Edet House; the Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force . When I got to the gate, there was chaos.
I saw some police officers running out through the gate. Others were scrambling to climb over the fence and come out. Some who were obviously inside but had now made it out, were on the phone thanking God for saving their lives.
Many cars inside the compound were on fire. Ever so often, a car that had been set ablaze by the other burning cars would explode as fuel got to the tank. I sensed a funny smell. It was like déjà vu. At the time I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Later I realised it was the smell of dynamite. As a child, we had lived close to a quarry in Jos where rocks were always being blasted. I remember that powerful smell. from back then.
About half an hour after I got there, a van full of policemen arrived. Reinforcements. A senior officer ordered them to come down from the van and get into the hq, but they bluntly refused. This was my first time of seeing people in uniform disobey orders from a superior.
I was going through the police hq recording sights and sounds of the explosions for use in filing my report when I saw what looked at first sight like a police boot.
On closer inspection, I realized that it was a boot that had the severed leg of its owner still inside it. I instantly felt like throwing up.
I quietly made my way out of the police hq so I could go file my report and possibly do a live cross to Dakar. I had a deadline to beat.
Like I said, Nigeria has been through a few things.
#THEEND
Like I said, Nigeria has been through a few things.
#THEEND
