A Kano-based vigilante commander, Abubakar Mohammed, has narrated how he was allegedly left without support after losing his hand in a violent attack by suspected thugs in Kano State.

Mohammed, who was a vigilante commander Dorayi community of Kano State, disclosed this in an interview with Blue Lens.

He said the incident has left him physically disabled and he is currently struggling to cope without adequate support from authorities or his community following the violent assault.

Dorayi is among the areas identified by the Kano State Police Command as one of the flashpoints of thuggery.

Several peace meetings between the police and community leaders and parents reportedly fell through because of some members described as collective complacency within the community.

The challenge is further complicated by the vulnerability of whistleblowers.

According to residents, arrested suspects are reportedly released after relatively short periods in detention, after which they allegedly return to the community and target those perceived to have provided information to security agencies.

Against this background, Mohammed said he devoted a significant time of this life to combating crime and insecurity.

He noted that before serving in Kano State, he had worked in vigilante operations in Zamfara and Katsina states, contributing to effort aimed at protecting live and property.

He said, “I spent over thirty years confronting thieves and thugs as a commander. I survived several failed attempts by criminals to eliminate me. In most of the areas I served, security situations improved, with the help of God.”

According to Mohammed, thugs invaded his previous residence three times in an attempt to take his life.

“They saw me as an obstacle to their criminal activities that has to be removed. But I remained committed to protecting the lives and livelihood of peace-loving citizens.

Under Siege

On the fateful day, Mohammed was at a branch of A.A Rano filling station in Kano, where he worked when the attackers struck.

“More than one hundred thugs, armed to the teeth, invaded the filling station. Unfortunately, I had no weapon that day. They surrounded the station. Then the clash began.”

The vigilante commander said his effort that day was aimed at preventing the thugs from gaining access to the station, as they might set it on fire. But the clash was so violent that people, including the station attendants, scampered for safety. They suspected thugs descended on the commander.

“They began attacking me with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, but they did not succeed. I could hear some of them saying, ‘this man must fall today, no matter what’.

“Initially, they wanted to cut my external jugular vein; but they did not succeed. They also attempted to cut off my right thigh; but that failed, as well. They then tried to sever my right hand, but only succeeded in inflicting a deep cut on it. in the end, they cut off my left hand.”

This singular heartless act has changed Mohammed’s destiny and life forever. Exhausted and dejected, he said as he laid in the pool of his blood, he recalled hearing one of the attackers saying, “it’s over for the commander.”

Attack on me discouraging message

According to him, the attack sent a discouraging message to his team members as well as other vigilante groups.

He said, “When the bellwether falls, the herd scatters for safety. that was the message the attackers intended to send through what they did to me.”

Following Mohammed’s tragic ordeal, several of his team members were reportedly targeted and injured by thugs.

Suspects roam the street freely

He further alleged that some of the suspects arrested in connection with the attack have since been released and returned to criminal activities, roaming the streets freely.

He said, “I could not attend the court sitting then because I was bedridden. The case hearing started successfully, but in the end some politicians secured some of the attackers’ release. Right now, they are free. None of them is behind the bars.”

I lost my wife after the brutal attack

Disabled and left with the responsibility of a family of eleven, Mohammed lost his wife one year after the defining clash with the thugs.

He narrated, “I have eleven children, both male and female. People have deserted me after this accident. Apart from the A.A Rano filling station, which shouldered my medical bills and a few colleagues who render assistance, I don’t know what to do.”

Four of the commander’s daughters have reached marriage age, but he has nowhere to turn for support. With no business, income or pension, and now disabled, Mohammed finds himself in a desperate and hopeless situation.

Appeal to Government

Mohammed has appealed to the government of Kano to come to his aid, saying he urgently needs a steady source of food on a monthly basis.

He said, “I still need some medical attention. I recently underwent some tests, but I don’t have money, which is why I have not returned to the hospital. I am doing nothing so far. Nobody cares if we die today.”

According to the commander, his children have been withdrawn from school. He added that some of them were later enrolled in an Islamiyya school by his neighbours. (Daily Trust)

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