Mrs Augustina Amadin had always been proud of her husband’s service to the Nigeria Police Force. She demonstrated this by standing by him through thick and thin and also by taking care of the home front while he was being transferred from one state to another.
Her husband, Amadin Monday, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was allegedly shot by his junior colleague, an Inspector, on September 26, 2021, while they were returning to base at Ezi-Nze division of the Enugu State Police Command.
The bed, once a place of rest and rejuvenation, has become a prison, confining Monday to a single position for two years and nine months. The iron rods and cast encasing his left thigh seem to symbolize the physical and emotional shackles that bind him.
His uniform, which was once a symbol of authority and pride, now hangs limp and forgotten inside a wardrobe, a reminder of the life he once knew.
Children withdraw from universities
The family’s situation has been complicated by the fact that their children have had to withdraw from higher institutions due to financial constraints. According to Mrs Amadin, the eldest son, aged 22 (name withheld), who gained admission to study Linguistics two years ago in one of the tertiary institutions, had to defer it. The second son, who was studying Electrical/Electronics Engineering at the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, was forced to withdraw. Also, the third son, who scored 251 in last year’s Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination could not pursue his admission due to lack of funds.
She said, “My fourth child is in Senior Secondary School 3. She had to go and write the exam in a village in Delta State because we could not afford the school fees and WAEC fees in Lagos. My last child is just in secondary school. All my sons took on menial jobs to support the family.”
Abandoned
The family’s situation has been further exacerbated by the lack of support from the Police authorities. Despite numerous appeals, Mrs Amadin said her family had received no financial assistance, leaving them feeling frustrated and disillusioned. The policeman’s wife, who is now the sole caregiver, is struggling to cope with the trauma of the incident and the added responsibility of caring for her husband and children.
She lamented that the impact of the incident has also taken a toll on her husband’s mental health, as he struggles to come to terms with his new reality and feels guilty for being a burden to his family. Though she said she was trying her best to care for him, she lamented that the lack of support and resources was taking a toll on her own mental health.
