In Kuchibuyi village, located in the Federal Capital Territory,Abuja on 23rd November.
A man named Ismail Usman, a herbalist has sustained a fatal injury while testing his self-made bulletproof charm.
Usman reportedly armed himself with a locally made gun after preparing and fortifying himself with a “bulletproof” charm of his own creation. To test the charm’s effectiveness, he shot himself in the stomach. However, the charm failed, leaving him with severe injuries.
In a statement released on Saturday, Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, confirmed the incident. She stated that the police were alerted through a distress call from a resident, prompting officers from the Byazhin Division to respond immediately.
The officers found Usman critically injured and transported him to Kubwa General Hospital for emergency treatment. Due to the severity of his condition, he was later transferred to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, where medical professionals are working diligently to save his life.
Adeh recounted, “A distress call from Shandam Michael reported a shocking incident involving Ismail Usman, a local herbalist known for unconventional practices. In an attempt to test the effectiveness of a self-made ‘bulletproof’ charm, he shot himself in the stomach with a shotgun. Unfortunately, the charm failed, resulting in life-threatening injuries.”
Following the incident, police conducted a search of Usman’s residence and recovered the locally fabricated gun along with various charms used in his ill-fated experiment.
Adeh added that Usman would face charges for unlawful possession of firearms and attempted suicide, both of which violate Section 231 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.
“Investigations are ongoing, and Usman is expected to face charges under Section 231 of the Penal code Law for unlawful possession of firearms and attempted suicide. The FCT Commissioner of police, CP Olatinji Disu, has condemned the incident, highlighting the dangers involved in illegal firearms,” Adeh stated.
