On the quiet evening of April 3rd, 2025, at around 8:02 pm, Chukwuma Nwaoha Roundabout in Owerri became the stage of a haunting incident that could have claimed the life of a young Nigerian, not at the hands of criminals but those sworn to protect him.
Emmanuel Godwin, known to many as “Emma,” a registered Bolt driver and a hardworking Nigerian youth, was simply doing his job.
That evening, he was on a regular ride to pick up a customer,his friend and loyal patron.
Unbeknownst to him, what awaited him was not just another trip, but a near-death experience.
Stopped by men of the Nigerian Army, Emma did what every law-abiding citizen would do- he complied.
He was asked by the officer to find him something (Money) but he explained he had nothing on him to give, as he was low on cash.
He had no cash on him, but he pleaded to make a bank transfer. His offer was met not with understanding, but with rejection.
It was as though the soldier had already judged him. Perhaps it was the assumption that he was a “yahoo boy”, a label that has cost many innocent Nigerian youths their dignity, safety, and sometimes, their lives.
Emma tried to explain that he wasn’t lazy; he wasn’t a fraud. He was simply a young man fighting to earn a living in a country that has made that battle unbearably hard. Still, there was no empathy. Only silence.
As he was abandoned by the officer because he could not meet his demand and slowing his movement, Emma stepped out when prompted, to go speak respectfully, and explain his situation.
A torch light was pointed toward him and his friend and the loud word from the soldier echoed ‘GO”.
And that was when it happened. A shot. One loud bang. A bullet shattered through the rear windshield of his vehicle was fired by the same soldier who had just let them go.
Had Emma not slightly leaned forward, had he not instinctively turned his neck in that moment, it would have been a direct shot to the head or neck. Death would have been instant. Another senseless statistic. Another youth gone.
What was Emma’s crime? The soldier, later questioned by his superiors, claimed he told the Keke driver in front to move not Emma.
And for that simple misunderstanding, a bullet was fired? From a military-grade weapon? At unarmed civilians?
Emma survived that night, but barely. Not just physically, but emotionally. His mind replays the incident like a broken record: “What if I hadn’t moved my head? What if my customer got hit? What if the car lost control and I crashed?
What if I never made it home to my family?” Many ‘what ifs’.
A day later, Emma approached the 34 Artillery Brigade in Obinze. What he got was a cold consolation: “Thank your God the bullet didn’t hit you.” His name, address, and number were collected. He was told investigations were underway.
That was seven days ago. Seven days of silence. Seven days without accountability. Seven days of waiting for justice that may never come unless we raise our voices.
This is no longer just about Emma. It is about every Nigerian youth who has ever been profiled, harassed, brutalized, or killed under the false assumption of being a fraudster.
It is about a system that allows guns to be fired at the innocent without consequence. We ask again: What if the bullet had found its mark?
C- Advocate demands that the soldier responsible for this act be immediately identified and suspended.
C-Advocate demands that the Nigerian Army issues a formal statement and apology to Emmanuel Godwin and that transparent investigations commence with civilian oversight.
We demand that justice is served not just for Emma, but to deter future abuse of power.
This is our call to conscience. A plea to humanity. A reminder that a badge and a uniform are not licenses to kill !
The Center for Social Awareness Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE) owners of the C-Advocate newspaper, stands with Emmanuel Godwin and with every Nigerian who deserves to live free from fear, protected by the institutions that exist for their safety.
#JusticeForEmma
#StopArmyBrutality
#ProtectNigerianYouth
#NigerianArmy