Togolese Navy denied me compensation 24 years after I was shot – Ogun merchant

Ogun State-born merchant, Tajudeen Shoaga, 51, tells ABDULLATEEF FOWEWE how Togolese naval men shot him and his colleague in the leg, and has denied them the money awarded to them by the government for 24 years

What do you do for a living?

I am Tajudeen Shoaga, I am from Abeokuta, Ogun State, but I am living in Lagos State and I am 51 years old. My father is a produce merchant and he is the one from whom I learnt the trade. I export mainly farm produce to countries under the Economic Community of West African States. It was in the course of my exporting produce to Togo that we experienced a terrible incident.

How did the incident happen?

Thank you. It was on a Friday in September 2000 when my colleagues and I travelled to Lome to export fruits such as cashews and shea nuts to Cotonou. We planned to purchase a vehicle in Lome with CFA francs. We departed Lagos and arrived in Lome. We had previously bought and stored some vehicles, and the agents informed us to take them promptly to prevent them from being stolen by individuals known as Fandadis.

Therefore, we left our hotel in Lome and reached the area known as Perpetual in Togo Port.

While driving in the middle of the road, without anyone following or approaching us, we suddenly noticed a naval bus crossing in front of the port. As we entered the port, the bus stopped us, causing confusion and concern, and the officers ordered us to raise our hands, and we complied.

Next, they instructed us to lie down on the ground, and we did as told, but shockingly, one of my colleagues was shot in the leg and I inquired why they were shooting at us, and they rushed towards me and fired gunshots.

Who rescued you from the scene?

We were taken to the port yard where we encountered Mnpe Joseph, the port boss. Upon our arrival, he instructed them to search our vehicle, but nothing was found. He proceeded to reprimand them, questioning them on the reason for shooting at us. Subsequently, he directed them to transfer us to where the head police officer was located.

What does the head of the police do?

Colonel Awade then ordered us to be taken to the general hospital. However, we were left unattended for more than five hours until a kind woman arrived and informed us that without money, no assistance would be provided for us. That was when I brought out all the money on me and the lady helped us clean the blood-soaked 140,000 CFA that was in my pocket, which we had to deposit before receiving treatment.

Did the doctors attend to you after the payment?

Yes. Upon waking on the second day, we discovered that our legs had been suspended in the theatre room where we were taken and all the bullets had been removed from our legs.

Which steps did you take after that?

Consequently, we reported the incident to the Nigeria Embassy in Togo, where Ganiu Adeyemi served as the senior councillor, and Bayo Yusuf as the Nigerian ambassador then. They took charge of the case and contacted Togo’s minister, Tijani, to request an explanation about our issue. Subsequently, they visited us in the hospital and asked questions alongside their police personnel before returning.

They later contacted Tijani, who confirmed that it was the Navy and not the police, who shot at us. Upon reaching out to Colonel Awade, he also affirmed that the Navy was responsible for the incident and arranged for us to be taken to the hospital. So, we were in the hospital receiving treatment for more than two months, and we appreciated the intervention of the Nigerian Embassy in the matter.

However, on the day we intended to depart, we had a meeting where they told us that we should not let anyone know about the incident when we arrived in Nigeria. They explained that it was their government’s fault and that they had already arrested those responsible for shooting us, and said the information those officers had was incorrect and that was what misled them to shoot us, so, they pleaded with us not to be angry.

Ganiu Adeyemi, the then-army medical officer of the teaching hospital, and the doctors who treated us were all present. However, we abided by the plea when we got to Nigeria, and we didn’t broadcast the incident until 2002 when we didn’t receive any update from them. It was at that point, while we were recovering from our injuries, that was when we decided to visit the Nigerian embassy in Lome.

What happened when you got there?

Upon our arrival, they advised us to be patient. However, when the embassy head grew weary of our constant presence, he directed us to the head of the Togolese Embassy in Lagos to alleviate our stress. When we arrived at the embassy in Lagos, we presented them with all the evidence, including a letter from our lawyer. The official questioned why we hadn’t reported the matter to the Nigerian embassy in Togo, and we explained that our health condition made it impossible to handle the additional stress.

Understanding our situation, he reported our case to their government. As a result, in December 2003, the Togolese government acknowledged our issue and held the Navy responsible for mistaking us as robbers and shooting us. The personnel were dismissed from the Navy, and each of us was awarded a compensation of 250,0000 CFA. Since then, we have been attempting to get the money. However, in 2004, when we went to claim our funds, we were instructed to go back to the port hospital for proper treatment.

One of my colleagues still has a bullet lodged in his leg bone, and we intend to take him to a reputable hospital for adequate care. Despite this, the money awarded to us by the Togolese government has yet to be received. Our attempts to reach out and report the issue to their government have been obstructed. Eventually, the then spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, one Colonel Abam, was summoned, but he failed to show up.

Instead, he informed us that he was addressing the matter and would soon send the funds. We held onto hope, waiting for the money to arrive, until January 2017 when we decided to approach the Economic Community of West African States to voice out our grievances. They informed us that the money was being withheld by certain individuals and directed us to Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to draft a letter on our behalf. He followed through by sending the necessary documents to the Togolese Embassy.

Upon receiving the letter, they called us for a meeting in February 2017 and acknowledged the legitimacy of our case. They pleaded for our patience, promising to contact us when we could collect our funds. Unfortunately, we have not received any communication from them since that time.

Have there been challenges in communicating within the group since then?

Yes, there are challenges in communication. There is a language barrier and at the same time, the offices handling the matter are not that consistent as in being sincere in handling the matter. Frequent changes in officials handling the matter are also a major factor affecting communication since the incident. The issue of money is also a major factor.

Which entity do you suspect is withholding the money?

They informed us that the Global Terrorism Index, the insurance company, and the Ministry of Defence in Togo have the funds.

Have you attempted to reach out to the Togolese embassy since then?

Yes, we have made numerous attempts to contact them, but they are not answering our calls up to this point.

Do you believe you entered the country unlawfully?

We followed the proper legal procedures before entering the country, which is why it was easy for the embassy to request assistance from the highest authority in Togo for further investigation.

What have you been doing to provide for your family since then?

I have been working as an agricultural broker to support my family’s needs. Though the money is not enough, but we thank God.

How has this incident impacted you?

The unfortunate incident has significantly affected my right leg, limiting my mobility compared to how it was before. I am currently managing the situation, but it is far from being okay.

How do your friends and family provide support during the challenging times?

Of course, my siblings and friends have offered both moral and financial support during difficult times. However, I appreciate God for the support from my friends and my family. I have been able to cope with the incident for several years, although I have received limited financial assistance from my loved ones

In what ways has the incident influenced your decision-making and actions in your pursuit of justice?

This unfortunate incident has greatly impacted my decision-making and actions, as it has reinforced my belief in the prevalence of injustice worldwide and the inadequate handling of security challenges by governments. I am firmly convinced that promoting domestic trade is safer and more advantageous than engaging in international trade, considering the issues arising from different nationalities and language barriers that I have encountered in my case.

What kind of assistance do you believe the Nigerian government can provide you with?

I hope that the Nigerian government, and President Bola Tinibu, being in a position of authority in the West African region, can utilise his power and position to instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform the Nigerian Embassy in Togo to investigate the incident and recover the money that was awarded to us.

What advice would you give to individuals still engaged in similar activities?

My advice to people involved in this type of business is to explore alternative methods such as shipping through a shipping company and ensuring all necessary documentation is completed, rather than physically being present to conduct external trade.