Never Fired a Shot, but I Faced Four Armed Robbers: The Courage Behind My Nigerian Air Force Story

After sharing my story, “My Nigerian Air Force Journey: Rising, Falling and Rising Again,” someone claimed that a vigilante was better than me because I supposedly never participated in military operations or fired a weapon during my career.

That comment missed the point about my service and what real courage means. I took part in military operations, crisis-response assignments, and armed guard duties. Still, I never fired at another person. My proudest moment of bravery was in 1997, when I faced and helped disarm four armed robbers who were terrorising a Lagos community, all without a gun.

Courage Is Not Measured by Bullets Fired

A comment beneath my Nigerian Air Force story caught my attention:

“So you did not fire a single shot throughout your military career. A vigilante is better than you.”

The statement was based on an assumption that because I served professionally as a printer, I did not participate in military operations or face dangerous situations.

That assumption is incorrect.

I joined the Nigerian Air Force as a professional printer, but I was also a fully trained airman. I received military training, carried out guard duties and participated in various operational assignments during periods of crisis.

However, I do not measure the value of my military service by the number of people I shot or injured.

A disciplined soldier does not need to fire a weapon to show bravery. A professional service member’s job is to protect lives, keep order, follow lawful commands, and only use force when it is truly needed.

I participated in dangerous assignments, but I am grateful that I never had to take another person’s life.

That does not mean I was less courageous. It shows the discipline, restraint, and humanity that guided me during my service.

My Participation in Military Operations

Although printing was my military trade, my responsibilities were not limited to operating printing machines.

Like other trained military personnel, I performed security and guard duties and was deployed during periods of tension and public disorder.

Among the operations and crisis-related assignments in which I participated were the Zangon Kataf crisis in Kaduna, security duties connected to the Lagos fuel crisis, Operation Sweep in Lagos and various military guard assignments.

The Night Four Armed Robbers Terrorised Our Community

One of the most dangerous experiences of my life happened in 1997 in Ijaiye-Meiran, Lagos.

It was approximately 3:00 a.m. when four armed robbers invaded the area.

They fired their weapons indiscriminately, creating panic throughout the community. Families remained inside their homes, afraid to move. The sound of gunshots shattered the peace of the night, and residents feared that anyone who stepped outside could be killed.

The robbers effectively held the entire neighbourhood hostage.

I was asleep in my father’s house when the gunfire woke me.

My military training immediately took over. I did not rush outside carelessly or make unnecessary noise. I understood that a reckless response could expose my family, neighbours and me to greater danger.

For security reasons, I concealed myself and observed the situation.

I moved carefully, remaining as quiet as possible. One of the armed robbers came closer to the area near my father’s house, where I was staying that night.

I recognised that he had become separated enough from the others for me to act.

I did not have a gun.

What I did have was military training, courage, good timing, and a strong will to stop anyone from getting hurt. I Confronted the First Robber

I moved towards the robber cautiously and waited for the right moment.

When the opportunity came, I acted decisively and disarmed him.

The sudden confrontation shocked him. He cried out, alerting the other robbers that something unexpected had happened.

Their well-planned attack quickly turned into chaos.

They had assumed that the entire community was too frightened to resist them. They did not expect someone without a firearm to confront one of their armed members.

As the other robbers attempted to understand what was happening, I continued resisting them.

The situation became extremely violent, and I sustained serious injuries during the struggle. Despite the pain and danger, I refused to surrender.

I eventually gained control of two of the robbers.

By then, residents who had been hiding inside their houses began to realise that the balance of the situation had changed. They saw that resistance was possible and that some of the attackers had been overpowered.

The community began to emerge in large numbers.

People who had been paralysed by fear found the courage to come outside and support me. Their collective response made it more difficult for the remaining robbers to continue terrorising the area.

The other attackers attempted to escape while the captured suspects were restrained.

From Community Panic to Collective Resistance

Before I confronted the robbers, the entire area was living under fear.

People heard gunshots but were afraid to intervene. Parents were trying to protect their children, while residents remained uncertain about what was happening outside their homes.

The moment the community saw that two of the attackers had been subdued, fear began to give way to unity.

Residents came out to assist, secure the area and ensure that the captured men could not escape.

This experience showed me that courage can spread from one person to others.

Sometimes one person must take the first responsible step before others overcome their fear and join the effort.

However, I would never encourage an untrained person to confront armed criminals. The situation was extremely dangerous, and I could easily have lost my life. My response was influenced by my military training, the immediate threat to the community and the circumstances of that particular night.

Bravery must never be confused with recklessness.

My Hospitalisation at Lagos State Government Hospital, Alausa

Operations Sweep Team later came to the scene and took me to the Lagos State Government Hospital, Alausa. Medical personnel treated the injuries I had sustained during the confrontation.

The physical pain was severe, but the emotional reality was equally powerful. As I lay in the hospital, I reflected on how close I had come to losing my life.

I thought about my family, the terrified residents and what might have happened if the robbers had continued their attack without resistance.

Recovery took time.

My injuries reminded me that courage often comes with a cost. Heroic stories might sound exciting years later, but the person living them feels fear, pain, uncertainty, and the real risk of death.

I did not confront those robbers because I wanted recognition. I acted because lives were at risk and because I believed I had the training and opportunity to intervene.

National Media Coverage

The incident attracted significant public attention.

Several national media organisations interviewed me and reported the story of how I confronted armed robbers without carrying a firearm.

The public was particularly interested in how one person had managed to disrupt an armed robbery operation, disarm an attacker and help bring two suspects under control.

For many people, it sounded unbelievable.

But for me, the story was never about proving I was invincible. I knew how vulnerable I was and how easily things could have turned out differently.

The real story was about training, presence of mind, sacrifice and the power of a community that eventually united against fear.

Recommendations for a Gallantry Award

My actions were later recognised within military circles.

In 1997, the Armed Forces Command and Staff College recommended me for a gallantry award, and the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi, recommended me for a gallantry award in 2003 for the same incident. However, despite these recommendations, I did not receive a final response or award from the appropriate headquarters because of vested interests.

I was left with the impression that internal interests or administrative obstacles may have prevented the recommendations from progressing.

Naturally, that was disappointing.

Recognition matters, especially when someone risks his life to protect others. An award would have made the incident official and shown respect for the sacrifice involved.

Nevertheless, the absence of an award cannot erase what happened.

The residents who witnessed the event knew what I did. The officers who found me injured knew the seriousness of the situation. The medical personnel who treated me saw the wounds. The journalists who interviewed me reported the story.

Most importantly, I know what I faced and why I acted.

In conclusion, the comment suggesting that a vigilante was better than me because I did not fire a shot misunderstood the nature of military service and the meaning of bravery.

Yes, I served as a professional printer in the Nigerian Air Force. But I was also a trained military airman who participated in crisis-related operations, performed armed guard duties and served within the discipline of the Armed Forces.

A soldier’s greatness is not about how many lives he takes. It is about his discipline, courage, professionalism, judgment, and commitment to protecting others. When four armed robbers held an entire community hostage, I confronted the danger without carrying a gun. I helped disarm the attackers, brought two under control and sustained serious injuries in the process.

I was hospitalised at Alausa, interviewed by national media organisations, and later recommended more than once for recognition for gallantry, although no final award was given.

An official medal would have been appreciated, but a medal is not what made the action courageous.

I know the risks I took. My family knows. The community knows. The witnesses know.

I was a brave soldier, not because I fired a weapon, but because when danger arrived, I placed myself between armed criminals and a frightened community.

Azeez Majekodunmi HND BA(Hons) MSc FSS

azeez@azmajek.com