A 25-year-old University of Maiduguri Linguistic graduate, Charity Thilza shot by armed robbers in Abuja has died. Thilza died, three days to the completion of her National Youth Service Corps programme in Abuja, because a hospital in the city refused to treat her of her bullet wound.
Ms. Thilza from Borno State was reportedly shot by some robbers along Wuse 2 Road while she was returning home from a nightclub called Carribean in Wuse 2, in company of her friends around 3am on Monday.
The ‘passing-out parade,’ which would have marked the completion of her one-year programme, holds on Thursday (today).
It is understood that Thilza and four friends, identified simply as Lola, Bisi, Pooja (an Indian) and a man had attended a show at the club, where a hip hop artiste, Chibuzor Azubuike, popularly called Phyno, performed on Sunday. They were said to be returning home after the party in a car the following day when the robbers started pursuing them.
The robbers shot at the car in which Ms. Thilza and her friends were in repeatedly and some of the bullets pierced through the windscreen and hit Thilza, who was sitting at the back. One of her friends, Lola, was said to have also sustained gunshot injuries.
The robbers retreated when they saw that the driver of the car was heading towards a police station, a close friend of Thilza said. She also said her friend was rushed to a hospital, but was rejected and had died on the way to another hospital that she was referred to.
Hospitals and clinics in Nigeria normally refuse to treat people with gunshot wounds due to the fear of incurring the wrath of the Nigeria Poice.
Bukar said she was together with Thilza until Friday, when she (Bukar) returned to Maiduguri, Borno State, where she lives.
She said, “Phyno performed at the Carribean (the club) on Sunday. They were coming back home around 3am on Monday when they noticed that a car was trailing them. They took a detour, but the car continued following them. The driver of their car started speeding and the robbers opened fire on the car. Unfortunately, some of the bullets hit Thilza from the back of the car.
“Five persons went for the party. One of them is a man, but I don’t know his name. I learnt Lola was also hit by the bullets and has been admitted to a hospital. The incident was reported to the police.
“Thilza lived in Zone 6, Wuse 2, and served at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Abuja. She clocked 25 years in January. Her corpse will be brought to Maiduguri on Thursday (today). Her father is late. Presently, her mother is not talking; she is very distraught. She was the first child of the family. She has four young siblings.”
Accodring to Buka Thilza had planned to join the NSCDC after the service, saying that her death was a big loss to the family.
She said, “She was a kind and simple person. I left her and other friends in Abuja on Friday. They accompanied me to the airport when I was returning to Maiduguri. She told me she wanted to join the NSCDC.”
One Monsurat Abdulrasaq, also a friend of the deceased wrote on Facebook, “Oh, Charity! Our souls are full of pains on hearing of your unfair demise. This got to me like a swift wind. May God comfort your entire family at this tough time. May God bring you comfort. Amen.”
NYSC spokesperson in Abuja, Mrs. Abosede Aderibigbe confirmed Thilza’s death and said the corps was making efforts to ensure the release of the corpse for burial.
She said, “The victim was our member with code number, FCT/15a/5295. She was supposed to pass out on Thursday (today). We learnt she and her friends went clubbing.
“When they were coming back around 3am in a flashy car, armed robbers trailed them. When they could not get them, they shot at the car and the bullets hit her.
“They tried rushing her to the National Hospital, Abuja, but she died on the way. The family members are in Abuja with the NYSC coordinator. The corpse is with the police. Possibly, it will be released for burial tomorrow (Thursday).”
The Abuja Police command is yet to comment on the incident.
Thilza’s death will once again ignite debate over an absurd regulation that prohibits hospitals from treating victims of gunshot wounds without contacting the police first. It is against the ethics of the medical profession to refuse to offer medical help to those needing it. In some countries, it is a crime and a reason to withdraw the doctor’s licence.
It is extra-judicial killing by the state to allow victims of gunshot wounds to die even if they are armed robbers.
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