Man Who Shot Himself Testing ‘Bulletproof’ Charm
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches informs the public that Mr Islmail Usman, the man who shot himself in the stomach in the process of testing a ‘bulletproof’ charm known in some parts of the country as Odeshi, can no longer be traced. The police stated this during a telephone conversation with AfAW. The police informed AfAW following some inquiries to provide the man with humanitarian assistance. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches campaigns to support victims of witch persecution and ritual attacks. In the case of Usman, he was his victim, both the victim and the victimizer. He did not shoot someone while testing the bulletproof charm, he shot himself.
Usman believed in the charm’s potency, hence, he used himself to test the charm. AfAW planned to provide Usman with humanitarian assistance and use his case for public education and enlightenment. But the plan is on hold because the police have no information regarding his whereabouts. Few days ago the Advocacy for Alleged Witches contacted the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, proposing to give Usman some humanitarian assistance. The CP readily welcomed the idea and referred AfAW to the FCT police public relations officer, who referred AfAW to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Byazin, the division where the case happened. In a telephone conversation, the DPO commended the Advocacy for Alleged Witches for the initiative. He noted that Mr Usman was not at the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital as speculated. Usman was referred to the hospital but did not go there. The police officer said they were told that Usman had returned to Katsina and could no longer be contacted. That the police had no information about his current location. They could no longer trace him.
The DPO said some officers visited his residence in Abuja, but the place was deserted. He promised to contact AfAW if they had any trace of him or his whereabouts. This development is worrisome because it demonstrates a failure in policing and police intelligence. How could such a person disappear without trace in this 21st century? What does that tell the world about the capacity of the Nigeria police to protect citizens, enforce the law and combat crimes in the country?
Before referring AfAW to the DPO, the PPRO stated that Usman would be charged in court if he recovered. From all indications, this would never happen. Usman would not be prosecuted as stated. His case would gradually fizzle out because the police could no longer trace him. The DPO said that they were told that Usman had gone for some traditional treatment for his injuries; that he preferred traditional treatment.
It is evident that this is an attempt to evade justice knowing that the police planned to charge him in court. Also Usman disappeared to avoid paying the cost of treatment. Many Nigerians resort to traditional treatment not really because they believe in its efficacy, potency, or effectiveness but because they cannot afford the cost of orthodox medical treatment.
The Advocacy for Alleged Witches warns Nigerians against the use of ‘bulletproof’ charms. The case of Usman shows that superstitions are not innocuous. Superstitions are dangerous and harmful; superstitions kill. Those who believe in the nonsense called bulletproof charms end up harming themselves, as in the case of Usman; they eventually harm or kill others, as has widely been reported. Bulletproof charm has no basis in reason, science, or reality. Nigerians should abandon bulletproof superstitions and embrace evidence-based ways of protecting themselves against bullets and gunshots.
Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches
