Metro
Hoodlums attack 21-yr-old man, steal money meant for his surgery
A 21-year-old man identified as Babatunde Akindele has been left in severe pains after he was attacked by hoodlums in the Surulere area of Lagos state, who also dispossessed him of money his family put together for his colostomy reversal surgery.
Babatunde, an ex-employee of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, had been passing out excreta through colostomy, a surgical procedure in which an artificial opening is made in the abdomen for excreta to pass through instead of the anus.
Reports say that Akindele had gone to withdraw the money from the bank and was returning home when a passer-by reportedly asked him for directions in the Itire area of Surulere.
Babatunde, was later intercepted by hoodlums, who dispossessed him of his mobile phone and the money and later ordered him to flee from the scene of the incident or risk being hurt.
He said, “Three years ago, I could not defecate normally, so after some diagnoses, I had a surgery, which enabled me to defecate from the side of my stomach into a colostomy bag, instead of through my anus. I usually go for check-ups so that my condition can be monitored.
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“As I speak with you, the doctor has informed me that what was brought out beside my stomach, which I use for defecation, is due to be taken back inside and I needed to undergo another surgery for it to be done. But I don’t have money as I have not been working after the initial surgery.”
“When I went to the theatre, I was told that the surgery would cost N100,000 and due to the urgency of my surgery, my mother sent me to withdraw all her savings for the surgery. When I got to the bank, I withdrew N24,000, but on my way back, an old man approached me for directions to the Itire area, which is along my path, and so I agreed.
“While on our way, I never knew that some hoodlums, who were working with the old man, were tailing us until I was cornered, threatened and dispossessed of my phone and the money. The N24,000 my mother had helped me raised was stolen and I have no other hope of raising money again.
“I was working with LAWMA before the surgery after which I resumed work to raise money for further treatment, but when my boss got to know that I was defecating through the side of my stomach, he asked me to stop so I that could treat myself and since then I have not been able to secure another employment. I am pleading with Nigerians to assist me with money for the surgery so that I can get my life back on track,” he added.
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