Like every boy of his age, Agbor Gabriel Obe had dreams in the year that was about to be ushered in, in a matter of hours, but the dreams were cut short. That was on December 31, 2010, when a bomb detonated inside Abacha Barracks, Abuja.
From a 15-year old, with the world literally at his feet, Agbor, who lost one of his legs, began what can rightly be described as a journey to hell.
Through no fault of his, Agbor, who returned from South Africa for additional medical treatment, told Sunday Vanguard of his harrowing experience in the hands of government officials and now feels abandoned to his fate, even when his treatment regime is still far from being being completed.
Agbor tells his story, “My name is Agbor Gabriel Obe. I am from Benue State.
“On 31 December, 2010, my senior brother sent me on errand to Abacha Barracks. As I was about to deliver the message, the thing (bomb) happened. I was taken to Asokoro General Hospital”
Agbor said he lost consciousness immediately after the blast, only to find himself in hospital with a shattered leg. After four months and two weeks, in hospital, and with the affected leg amputated, Agbor joined the list of victims recommended for further treatment abroad.
On October 30, 2011, ten months after the blast, Agbor was flown to South Africa in the company of one doctor at Asokoro General Hospital.
But Agbor, who came back with prosthesis on his right leg, said he was flown to South Africa for treatment and surgery to install the prosthesis without financial allowance for sundry needs, including feeding.
According to him, he literally became a beggar to avoid starvation, while undergoing treatment.
“We were told that we would be given allowance to take care of feeding and other sundry needs, but the doctor who accompanied us did not give me any allowance; so I had to resort to begging in South Africa , while in hospital, to be able to feed”, the amputee lamented.
“That was how I came in contact with a kind- hearted Nigerian army officer, who gave me some money to take care of my feeding”.
After two months and two weeks, he returned to Nigeria on December 1, 2011, alleging that the doctor dumped him at the Abuja airport, with no relative or any arrangement for that matter to take him from the airport to his home.
“I returned to Nigeria in the company of Dr Ahmed, but he dumped me at the airport, telling me to find my way home. With no money on me, I had to start begging again to get out of the airport and find my way home”.
Agbor’s new concern that prompted him to cry out, he told Sunday Vanguard, is that the prosthesis or artificial leg that was made for him while in South Africa has since developed problems and his efforts to get further medical help yielded no result.
He said, “The artificial leg is now torn and rubs against my bone, when I walk with it. It is very painful when that happens. I spoke to Dr Ahmed his colleague, and Dr Ejembi, a Benue man, but, they said ‘you should even thank God that they gave you the artificial leg instead of complaining’. I told them that the artificial leg has problems. My bone is rubbing against the pros the sis.
“I reminded them of what the South African hospital authorities said; that I should change the artificial leg, every two years. Even if they didn’t give me the artificial leg, I don’t care because, right now, I am feeling serious pains and I would like treatment that can stop the pains”.
Agbor alleged further that when he went back to Asokoro General Hospital for treatment to ease the pains on his amputated leg, the hospital demanded money from him. “I went there for treatment, they told me to pay money and I told them that I didn’t have money; they didn’t treat me”.
The lad, with tearful eyes, appealed to government to intervene, so that, at 18 years, he could still make something out of his life, even though his aspiration has been altered from its original course by the bomb blast.
vanguard
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