It was gathered that Bargo, a staff member of the church, was sitting outside the premises on April 23, waiting to receive a guitar he had ordered.
Two Nigerian police officers have been accused of recklessly mishandling a rifle, resulting in the shooting of church worker John Bargo at the Baptist Church in Kaura District, Abuja—an incident that left bloodshed, trauma, and a wave of unanswered questions.
It was gathered that Bargo, a staff member of the church, was sitting outside the premises on April 23, waiting to receive a guitar he had ordered.
He was seated beside a police officer, identified as Umar, assigned to the church for routine security. Across the street, another officer, Ahmed, was on post at a school directly opposite.
Beevan Magoni described a scene that began with casual horseplay but quickly spiralled into horror.
“Ahmed just walked across the road and grabbed Umar’s rifle like they were playing,” one witness, who asked not to be named, recounted.
“At first, it seemed like a joke, but then he cocked the rifle and released the safety. That’s when it got serious.”
However, a brief but frantic scuffle ensued as Umar struggled to regain control of the weapon.
He succeeded in recovering the rifle but, crucially, failed to clear the chamber, leaving a live round inside.
Moments later, Ahmed returned.
According to Beevan, this time, in what witnesses say looked like a continuation of their reckless tussle, Ahmed again seized the rifle. The muzzle was inadvertently pointed toward John, who sat relaxed with his leg folded in a casual position.
“That’s not how to do it,” Ahmed allegedly said, tugging on the weapon.
However, a shot rang out.
The bullet tore through John’s shin and thigh, shattering his femur on impact.
Beevan explained that John collapsed in pain, bleeding and confused.
“Apart from an unarmed civilian felled by an officer’s careless handling of a firearm in broad daylight, more troubling than the incident itself has been the aftermath.
“Officer Ahmed reportedly absconded for days following the shooting, and while John was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery, Officer Umar quietly resumed duty at his original post without public inquiry or visible disciplinary action.
“With no insurance and little financial support, the church was forced to suspend a major project and redirect over ₦5million to cover John’s surgery and immediate care. Though he survived, his recovery remains long and uncertain,” Beevan added.
However, despite the gravity of the incident, neither officer has been formally charged or publicly reprimanded.
