Malama Hawwa’u Jamilu, 24, is excited with her newborn twins. She has been engaged in fervent prayers, and she was safely delivered of twins on Sunday, 25th February, 2018. However, the joy that greeted the birth was shortened. The local nurses that delivered the twins noticed that one of them was born with four hands and three legs. Like wildfire, the news spread into the community and people began to troop to Kabiru Kafinta’s house, where Hawwa’u and family are residing, to see things for themselves.

Strangely, Hawwa’u was not perturbed about the physique of her baby. She told Daily Trust that she regarded it as part of the might of Allah. “Both of them are female. Of course, one would have loved to deliver the babies without any deformity. But since Allah in His infinite mercy had decided to create the twins like this, what can I do? This is why you see me relaxed, and I love them both.”

The only peculiar behaviour exhibited by the deformed twin, is a big appetite. “Apart from that,” Hawwa’u said, “she is normal like any other baby. Have you forgotten that I carried her in my womb for nine months? I love my daughter and I know that she is human, despite her physical challenge.”

Hawwa’u said she has given birth three times before now, making the twins her fourth delivery during her six years of marriage.

Similarly, Hawwa’u said she doesn’t attend ante-natal sessions, saying that she delivered her other children at home, same as the twins. “I think the problem is not failure to visit the hospital, because the twins are not my first. As I said earlier, it is just the will of Allah. I gave birth three times, and I have not experienced anything like this. This is the will of Allah and there is nothing one can do about it,” she said.

Daily Trust learnt that when the deformity was discovered, the babies were taken to hospital for examination. It was learnt that the case cannot be handled by a local hospital, but by a tertiary one.

A doctor at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Dr. Umar Abdul’aziz, said the extra leg and hands can be removed and the little girl can have a normal life. He added: “There is nothing to worry about. It is a case that can be handled by experts after certain investigations. It is however advisable for all pregnant women to be attending ante-natal for their health and that of their unborn babies. Many things can be detected during ante-natal that would assist in safe delivery and correction of abnormalities. It is not proper at this period of the world’s development for somebody to decide to ignore ante-natal and be giving birth at home.”

As Hawwa’u continues to nurse her twins, she is optimistic that the baby will grow up to be “a special person in life.” (Daily Trust)

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