The one time I keep in mind not having my arms is after I open the gates at my obligation station to outlive as a safety man,” says 60-year-old Bello Adamu-Abubakar, who’s an instance of when life throws you a lemon, make lemonade from it.
Adamu-Abubakar is a husband of 1 spouse and father of 5 youngsters and operates as a gatekeeper within the authorities reserved space in Gombe State.
When Arewa PUNCH visited his residence in Bagadaza, he defined that he was not born with out arms however it was solely after his ordeal with some herdsmen who attacked him round Akko Native Authorities Space of the state that he turned armless.
Adamu-Abubakar famous that regardless of his destiny, he has refused to permit his present scenario to stop him from residing a traditional life-style, or make him ineffective, redundant and fully incapacitated.
He emphasised that his spouse likes to offer him some water and meals at house, and that the one time he remembers his incapacity is when he goes to work as a safety man and remembers that he doesn't have his arms.
Whereas narrating his ordeal, which he shared with Arewa PUNCH, he stated: “The incident came about 25 years in the past. It was throughout Governor Abubakar Hashidu's tenure as Governor of Gombe State. I used to be biking within the bush in a village referred to as Kiddah in Kumo, Akko LGA.
“All of a sudden I got here throughout the primary group of harmful Fulani herdsmen within the bush. They requested me to offer them some cash, and I handed over all the things I needed to them. There have been 5.”
Elaborating additional, he defined: “As I continued my journey, I met a second group of Fulani herdsmen and like the primary group in addition they requested me for some cash and I informed them that I met your man and I wished all the cash I had, went to them and I had nothing left. Then one in all them requested: why ought to they gather cash from me, and there was no blood stain on my physique.
“After an extended dialogue with them, one of many second group of herdsmen determined to struggle me and I took revenge. We had a critical struggle however within the course of I used to be capable of seize his sword and he began begging me together with the others to let him go and I launched my tight grip on him holding him then let go and gave him his sword again.
In line with the father-of-five, shortly after the encounter, he had barely walked a distance when he got here throughout one other couple operating from their hiding place, scattered throughout him, and earlier than he realized what was taking place, they’d all surrounded him.
Adamu-Abubakar revealed that it was this group that lower off his proper hand and left thumb earlier than fleeing into the dense forest.
The sufferer added: “I noticed a person standing alone with a sword, he attacked me with the sword and I made a decision to make use of my bike to hit him to defend myself. Then he moved again and earlier than he knew it, I knocked him to the bottom and grabbed his sword.
“Unknowingly to me, three others are hiding within the bush. They got here out and begged me to launch him, and I forgave the one I had knocked to the bottom and in addition gave him again his sword.
“However simply as I went a really quick distance earlier than I spotted what was taking place, they surrounded me and lower off my proper hand and my left thumb. In addition they gave me a machete on one facet of my head, which triggered a devastating blow to my physique, and later they ran away after leaving me there in a pool of blood to struggle for my life.
“That machete lower in my head, the docs stated, led to the partial paralysis of half of my physique on the left facet.
“Although I attempted my degree finest to get house that day after protecting my amputated hand with my garments to stop the blood from flowing out,” Adamu-Abubakar tearfully recalled to Arewa PUNCH.
He spoke extra about his plight, noting that his spouse made room for hospital remedy upon his return house, stressing: “We went to Kumo Hospital with my household. An operation was carried out there and my hand was amputated virtually to my elbow space.
“After some time I additionally misplaced my complete left arm, which left me paralyzed.”
The gatekeeper stated he was a farmer earlier than the ordeal, however he insisted that after the unhappy incident and so as to not be held liable, he selected to grow to be concerned in securing the property for a month-to-month cost to assist his household.
“Earlier than the incident I used to be a farmer. I used to make use of my hand to farm and feed my household as farming was my fundamental supply of revenue, however now I not have one hand, and the opposite left hand that is still is paralyzed all the way down to my leg, leaving me with no different alternative than to remain at house,” he complained.
Commenting on how the incident has modified his life-style, Adamu-Abubakar added: “The incident put me in a really dangerous scenario as a result of my complete household relied on me to care for them however now that isn’t attainable as a result of I even I need assistance from individuals to outlive. due to my situation. I needed to go away the village to go to my present location in Bagadaza as a result of we farm there to feed our households. Since I couldn’t farm in any approach, I needed to go away the place after which my youngsters have been nonetheless at a younger age.”
Whereas commending his spouse's efforts, Adamu-Abubakar famous that she had grow to be a pillar of power.
“My spouse has been standing by me for the reason that day the incident came about. She feeds me, provides me water to drink, wash me and put on garments for me as a result of I can’t do this stuff for myself due to my scenario, and it’s my prayer that God will bless and reward her for care for me for the previous 25 years,” he prayed.
Explaining how he manages to function as a gatekeeper regardless of his armless state, Adamu-Abubakar revealed that after battling unilateral paralysis for 2 years, he was left with no alternative however to attempt to stay the person of the home.
He stated: “I’m now a safety guard right here in GRA Gombe State. I take advantage of my legs to open and shut the gate, utilizing my proper hand which was amputated within the hospital as a result of I can nonetheless transfer it with some ease in comparison with my left hand which is paralyzed.
“I often go to my office in order that I can train my physique, as a result of within the hospital I used to be suggested to shift my physique to a special place to make it versatile, as a result of it is going to take a while for me to get myself again.
“Each time I really feel thirsty, there’s a faucet at work that I can open with my mouth and drink water straight from it, particularly if there isn’t a one round to assist me elevate the cup to my mouth.
“I name on the federal government and people to assist me in any approach attainable as a result of life has not been simple since my hand was lower off and I’m discovering it troublesome to supply for my household. I want to name on people and the federal government to assist the much less lucky, particularly those that have the intention to work however can’t achieve this themselves as a consequence of bodily limitations.”
The 60-year-old disabled urged youths to desist from felony acts, urging them to not be influenced by traits, including: “Youths who interact in such inhumane acts should desist and for his or her survival to depend upon God, with out gathering it from males by drive. and this additionally applies to those that invade individuals's houses and farmlands.”
