Samson FolarinFolarin



A final year student of the Department of Nursing , College of Medicine , University of Maiduguri, Fatimah Abu , is in a critical condition at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital , Gwange , after she was reportedly robbed, raped and bathed with chemicals by suspected robbers.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the 24-year - old had boarded a tricycle at her school’ s park on Friday en route to her residence when she was abducted by the men.

The two robbers allegedly took turns to rape her in a bush and poured chemicals on her body.
The chemicals reportedly caused blisters and burns on different parts of her skin.

Our correspondent learnt that the victim ’ s purse, containing her phone and some money , was taken away by the suspects , who dumped her by the roadside .

The victim , upon regaining consciousness, reportedly flagged down a tricycle rider , who took her to the Dandal Police Station .

The police then rushed her to the state specialist hospital , Maiduguri.

The victim ’ s friend , Musa Alkali , said she could not identify her assailants .

He claimed that the victim was bathed with acid.
He said , “ She is a 500 level student of the Department of Nursing, UNIMAID . She lives at the Federal Low Cost area and had boarded a tricycle from the university’ s park .

“That was the last thing that she said she could remember . She just woke up around a cemetery in the Gwange area with acid on her face . Her legs and different parts of her body were affected.

“ She stopped a Keke Napep (tricycle ) rider who took her to the Dandal Police Station . She managed to come down from the tricycle and collapsed . She was taken to the state specialist hospital from where she was transferred to the UNIMAID Teaching Hospital.

“ From what her sister told me , the robbers raped her and collected her phone and purse . The assailants were two in number. She said she boarded the tricycle around 5 pm . ”

Alkali said while he suspected that the attack might not be the handiwork of ordinary robbers , he could not tell if Fatimah had any problem with anyone .

He noted that the school ’ s park was usually crowded around the time she boarded the tricycle.

“ We hope that when she recovers , she will give further information on the attack , ” he added .

Alkali told PUNCH Metro that Fatimah, who hailed from the Biu Local Government Area of Borno State , was in dire need of medical assistance as the family could not afford to raise money for her treatment .

The victim ’ s sister, Zara , while wondering what could have triggered the attack , told our correspondent that Fatimah was an easy - going woman .

She also maintained that acid was poured on her.

“ She is my younger sister and I have been sleeping at the hospital since she was admitted .

She cannot talk much because the acid affected her mouth as well. She does not know those people (responsible for the attack ) . She is innocent . She does not quarrel with anybody .

Even her classmates testified to it , ” she said .
Zara urged the police to identify , arrest and punish the culprits .

The UNIMAID Public Relations Officer , Mohammed Ahmed , said he was aware of the incident , adding that he could not comment because the incident happened outside the school .

He said , “I am aware because I saw it on the television and the state Commissioner of Police commented on it . When something happens outside the university , I cannot comment . I just arrived from a journey and if I will say anything , I will need to get back to the school to make more findings . ”

The spokesperson for the UNIMAID Teaching Hospital , Mabruka Gaji , said she had scanty information on the incident .

She promised to send the contact of the Chief Information Officer of the hospital , Ibraham Abacha , but she did not as of press time .

The state Commissioner of Police , Damian Chukwu , told our correspondent that acid was not poured on the victim , saying the police were on the trail of the suspects .

He said , “On the day of the incident , she said she went to a bank for a transaction and after she was done , she came out and boarded a tricycle. She said there were two other passengers in the tricycle and she sat in their midst .

“ She said along the way, one of them came down , remaining her and another passenger . She said suddenly , the passenger brought out an handkerchief which he started waiving. She said she suddenly lost consciousness.

“ According to her , she was sexually assaulted . She found herself around a railway line and she managed to get a Keke Napep which took her to the Dandal Police Station .

There was no physical pouring of acid. It was the handkerchief which probably contained some chemicals that affected her skin and later degenerated into blisters .

The blisters then turned to burns . With this information , we have spread our dragnets and we are on the trail of the suspects . ”

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