A student of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Habibu Nakasari, is the second to suffer cruel amputation in the state within two weeks. He shares his ordeal with ADENIYI OLUGBEMI
Can we know more about you?
I’m an indigene of Sokoto South Local Government Area. I was born in 1993 and I completed secondary education at the Sultan Bello Secondary School in 2012 before proceeding to Shehu Shagari College of Education, where I finished in 2015. After a brief teaching experience, I secured admission to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, for higher education. I am in second year, studying Linguistics.
Can you narrate what happened to you?
It was during the early hours of Sunday at my friend’s house, an ex-soldier, who is now a tailor. I have been living in the place in the last one year. After parking my newly bought car in our family house, I took my motorcycle and headed to my friend’s shop because he usually closes late before we would then go home.
Last Saturday night, he didn’t close at around midnight as usual and when I pestered him around 1am to let us go home, he decided to move away from me, that he wanted to receive a phone call. On his return, he said it was his father who called and that he asked him to get a local mixture of tea. I even expressed concern that where would he get the tea at that hour of the night.
But when he insisted on getting the tea for his father, I offered that he should go with my motorcycle but he declined. That was how we parted as I took my motorcycle and headed to his house while, he went in search of the local tea for his father.
When I arrived in his house, I noticed some people lurking around the place, talking on the phone. But of course, I didn’t bother since I didn’t know their mission and who they were talking with. Innocently, I opened the entrance door to push in my motorcycle into the house. Immediately, the people who had been lurking around just descended on me. They first hit me with a plank on the head and followed with a machete cut on my head, and my eyes were blurred with blood from the cut inflicted on my head. The next I felt was a sharp cutlass descended, on my hands. All these happened within a twinkle of an eye. Unfortunately, when I screamed for help, no one came to my rescue probably because of fear. They left with my motorcycle and one of my three phones.
How did you get to the hospital?
I told you no one came to my rescue and it was while trying to find my way out of the house, in excruciating pains, that my friend suddenly appeared. Surprisingly, he suggested that I should remain in the house for him to inform my parents but I refused and told him to carry me on his motorcycle to my family house. Even when I gave him my father’s mobile to notify him of my predicament, my friend was busy calling different numbers, only to tell me my father’s number was not going through. I didn’t believe it because I know that my father hardly switches off his phone.
A check on his phone at a later date showed that his call log didn’t record a call to the number I gave him. Eventually, it was a neighbour that I ran to his house that alerted my father, who later rushed me to the state specialist hospital, where I was eventually referred to the Orthopaedic Hospital, Wamakko.
Why were you staying in your friend’s house?
We are many in our family house and the idea is to lessen the inconvenience since my friend lives alone. That is why I have been passing the night at his place. I only go there to sleep, not that I lived with him.
Where is your friend?
I learnt that he was arrested by the police and undergoing interrogation alongside another suspect.
Why do you think anyone would do this to you?
I guess maybe my assailants must have carried out this evil act out of jealousy and I am not ruling out politically motivated attack. I am a man of the people and friends to some politicians in the state. The number of politicians who have been trooping into the hospital on sympathy visit attests to this.
Is there any political rivalry between you and the alleged suspect who you claimed to be your friend?
Let me tell you; my friend is jealous of my little success, only that the jealousy was carried too far. When fake news filtered in that another person won the inconclusive election in the state, he went wild, almost running naked.
How do you intend to continue your studies with your present challenge?
Getting healed of trauma and maybe, fixing artificial limbs will take time. For now, I just want to commit my healing and rehabilitation in God’s hands.
Have the authorities of your institution or your course mates visited you?
Yes, my course mates have been wonderful and I really appreciate their concern and visits. I want to commend the President, Olalekan Akindele-led Modern European Language and Linguistics Students Association initiative by informing the university authorities of my predicament and going a step forward in writing the university to allow me continue my education by allowing me to take my examinations orally, to enable me to graduate. I pray the university authorities accede to the request. Also, a delegation from Shehu Shagari College of Education visited me.
No comments:
Post a Comment