It was about 7:20 AM on Sunday morning in Warri, Delta State when I was outside, on the Street with my phone in my hand.
It was broad day light, and I had only planned to take a stroll in the cool of the morning before finally returning to Lagos(my home base) that morning.
I had only walked a few steps away from where I was lodged when all of a sudden, a tricycle stopped in my front and pushed me into the tricycle (Keke Napep).
I was confused and didn't know or understand what was happening. One of the guys immediately made to drag my phone which was still in my hand, I held on tightly to the phone and he brought out a gun and hit my head with it, threatening to shoot me.
It was the first time I'll ever see a live gun pointed directly at me.
I had only seen it in the movies and never imagined that a day would come when I'll be a victim.
One of the guys had just one eye and he put two of his fingers in my right eye.
It hurt and I almost felt my eyeball was going to burst....
All these happened within seconds and I was confused. I have never experienced such before.
He threatened to shoot me and the driver of the tricycle kept shouting at him "No shoot am o, no shoot am o"....
When I heard that, I felt the driver was my friend and I tried to beg the driver to help me out.
How could I have known they were together in the game.
They eventually took the phone from me and pushed me out of a moving Keke.
I stumbled, rolled and fell in a gutter.
On getting up, I realized I was already bleeding but I paid no attention to my wound.
I alerted passerby by running on the road chasing the tricycle.
I didn't know I was that fearless and strong.
One driver who noticed me, wind down the screen of his vehicle and asked what happened....
I immediately told him that the tricycle moving stole my phone and sped away with it.
Immediately I said that, he sped off and a lady who was going to church, having seen my pain, insisted that I go to the clinic.
It was still early in the morning and a Sunday so most clinics were locked but she never gave up. She insisted I get treated and finally received some treatment for my hurt.
After a while, news had it that the thieves were caught and some items recovered.
They were 3 in number but one was able to escape and unfortunately, he was the one with my phone, he ran away with my phone and switched it off immediately.
It happened that, the guy who I had told what happened chased after the thieves and alerted the police in the process who also joined in the chase.
The driver of the car chased the tricycle until they reached a bend and in a bit to swerve, the driver hit their tricycle very hard and it somersaulted and landed into a ditch. The thieves immediately came out and continued running, the police officers also came out and ran after them while shooting upwards.
Soon enough, it became a battle of guns as the thieves shot back and one of the police officers got hit by the bullet.
In the end, 2 were caught and 1 escaped.
Thankfully, they were able to recover so many stolen items from the two thieves while the other who escaped went away with some of the items stolen including my phone....#sad
It hurts because I only got the phone last month and it is still very new but I'm glad they didn't kill me in the process.
I have a swollen face, red eye and aches all over my body but I know I'll be fine. It's only gonna take some days.
My name is Juliet Israel and I am a fighter....