A 20-year-old Adamu Muhammad from Sambo Daji village in Tumu area of Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State is seeking justice over the amputation of his two hands by his uncle, Bappan Yahaya Malam Buba, 45, who accused him of stealing his mobile phone.
Buba was alleged to have tied the victim and chopped off his two hands over his missing phone.
Adamu said, “I am saddened by the loss of my hands because I don’t know how I’ld be able to take care of myself. However, I am asking the government and the community to help me so that I can take care of my little needs.”
Buba, Adamu’s uncle, said his nephew had stolen his phone worth N50,000, which made him decide to carry out the action in anger.
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According to Buba, he had on the fateful day tied Adamu from noon until after the Friday prayer at 2.30 and then untied him and took him to the police station in Tumu town where they refused to take him in.
He then took him to the hospital for treatment where he was attended to and sent him home.
After he brought Adamu back home, the next day, officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Tumu town arrested Buba and his son. They were detained and asked to raise N30,000 to commence treatment on Adamu.
Buba, who admitted being responsible for the amputation of Adamu’s hands, described it as his destiny but regretted the incident.
“I regret what happened because even my son, Haifa, begged me to untie Adamu. I did it because I was angry, and now I see what anger has caused me,” he said.
When our reporter contacted the representative of Tumu and Pindiga community, Alhaji Mustapha Aliyu Ibrahim, he said they were trying to step into Adamu’s issue and if he gets better, they will see how they can help him.
The Sardauna of Pindiga said they have a forum of Pindiga citizens where they discuss the problems affecting their people, describing the incident as unfortunate.
When contacted, Adamu’s father, Malam Muhammad Sambo Daji, said his younger brother abused his son, and asked the authorities to ensure Adamu gets justice.
The Public Relations Officer of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Aliyu Alola Alfindi, said what happened was a violation of the rights of the victim.
The NSCDC commander, Muhammad Bello Mu’azu, described Yahaya Malam Buba’s brutal act as one that should not be condoned.