Mustapha Abdulrahman is a 24-year-old student of Garu Islamic College of Health and Technology, Bauchi, whose right leg was amputated following an accident in 2016.
Abdulrahman is appealing to charitable Nigerians to come to his aid by donating money to enable him to secure an artificial limb.
Speaking with journalists in Bauchi, Abdularham, a 200 Level student of Medical Laboratory, narrated how he was knocked down by a vehicle while he was riding on his motorcycle along Gumau-Saminaka road.
Abdulrahman said that life has been difficult saying trying to cope with one leg has been tough
“Sometimes kind-hearted people when they see me usually feel for helping me, especially in school to fetch water,” he said.
On how the accident happened, he said he was coming from an errand for his mother when he saw her younger sister, Zainab by the road in Gumau town.
“I wanted to stop and give her a lift on my bike but the car was approaching so l waited for it to pass so that l can make a U-turn to lift Zainab when the car suddenly hit me,” he said.
Abdulrahman was unconscious after the accident and the next thing he remembered was seeing himself in bed in a private clinic in Gumau where the affected leg was stitched.
“My leg was swollen. The pain was excruciating because the vein was damaged,” he said
The aftermath of that accident is what Abdulrahman has been struggling to come to terms with.
Although the accident happened in 2016, he said he still vividly recalls the sequence of events that happened after the accident.
According to him, he spent just two days in the clinic in Gumau before being referred to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi.
Although Abdulrahman couldn’t recall what led to the amputation, a family source who pleaded anonymity, believed the injury was poorly handled at the private Clinic in Gumau.
“The doctors at ATBUTH knew that the only way to save him is amputation because it was already infected with tetanus,” he said. He said most of his friends deserted him because of the fate that befell him.
“They didn’t want to associate with a physically challenged person because they see me as a liability. They have the notion that l would beg them for money so they disappeared,” he said.
Abdulrahman said the loss of his leg was traumatic and he withdrew to him it was frustrating and did not want to go to school.
” Meanwhile all my friends had gone to school and some graduated.
“In 2020, I decided to go back to school because my friends have gone far. Some few friends encouraged and support my dream”
Abdulrahman said life has been tough in school as he relies on crutches to get by.
” I have been making enquiries and l discovered that an artificial limb will cost N270,000 hence l decided to go to the media to appeal to Nigerians. My parents are poor and reside in the village and l am being supported in school by my relations. I am pleading with kind Nigerians to help me,” he said.