A 79-year-old tortoise, which was ran over by a truck at Argungu local government area of Kebbi State was saved by a team of veterinary doctors in Sokoto State.
The tortoise was said to be first taken to a veterinary clinic in Argungu after the accident, which occurred last Monday, before it was referred to Sokoto Clinic due to the severity of its injuries.
“Its injuries were life threatening, so it require urgent medical attention and surgery,” one of the surgeons who worked on it, Dr. Nura Abubakar said.
Dr. Abubakar explained that the tortoise was brought to them with broken shells.
“We have to assembled team of surgeons from Usmanu Danfodiyo University and Sokoto Veterinary clinic to work on the shell after resuscitating it,” he said.
The tortoise is owned by the Jarman Argungu, Suleiman Jarma, who inherited it from his late father.
His son, who ran over the tortoise, Sadiq Suleiman, told our reporter on phone that he was reversing the car as he was rushing to meet up with an appointment not knowing that it was lying under the vehicle.
“I ran over it as a result of which its shell broken into pieces.
“I rushed it to the veterinary clinic, Argungu who referred us to Sokoto clinic.
“Thanked God, all the broken shells were fixed back because I went with them and where there was no shell, they used one thick material to cover it.
“The tortoise is fast responding to treatment.
“In fact, as I am talking to you, it is there playing with children as if nothing happened to it,” Sadiq said.
He equated its weight with a full-bag of cement, saying “I cannot lift it up without the support of my brother.”
He noted that the tortoise was originally owned by his grandfather, and after his demise, his father brought it with him.
According to him, the tortoise would be 80 years old in February next year.
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