Blinded by best friend: Sad tale of 18-year-old whose eyes were plucked

IT is disheartening, indeed most painful, when the person you trust so much ends up betraying you, even causing you life-threatening bodily harm. This was the sad experience of 18-year-old Hussein Emmanuel, an indigene of Sara Village in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. His best friend conspired with others to gouge out his eyes

 Hussein, who has been seeking for a job for a long time was deceived by his friend, David Arafat, who connived with an accomplice to perpetrate the dastardly act. Vanguard Metro, VM, learnt that Hussein’s friend took advantage of his jobless situation by promising to get him employed in a company in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Nursing an ulterior motive

Unknown to Hussein, his friend, David, was nursing an ulterior motive. It began when he delayed the proposed journey to Port Harcourt by two days in order to perfect and carry out his sinister. On that fateful, David led Hussein to a nearby river in Sara Village and said they should take a bath. 

Since there was no reason to be suspicious, Hussein readily complied. It was in the process of taking this bath that David, with the assistance of one Jerry, attacked Hussein with a chain on his neck which he used in plucking out Hussein’s eyes. When VM visited Hussein in Gwallameji area of the state where he was temporarily putting up with his uncle, it was obvious that life will never be the same for him. What was left of the once vibrant young man was a helpless wreck.

Excuses and delayed journey

He said: “I have been looking for a job for a very longtime because my father is a poor farmer and I want to assist the family in my own way. I have not been performing well in school, so I decided to drop out and look for a handiwork since that is what I am good at. My friend approached my father that there was a job for me in Port Harcourt; he requested that my father should bring some money that will assist us in making the journey. My dad borrowed money from a friend and gave it to David. 

“On the day that we were supposed to make the journey, my friend started giving excuses; he said he was expecting money from a friend who was yet to turn up. So he delayed the journey by two days. I did not know that he had a wicked plan of removing my eyes”. Lamenting the tragedy that befall his son, Hussein’s father confirmed that he was deceived by David who promised to help his son get a job in Port Harcourt. 

He said on the day of the incident, he had just returned from the farm when a close neighbour in the area came to his house and informed him that his son was attacked and his eyes removed in the process. “ Hussein has now become a big liability for me because he cannot do anything for himself without someone assisting him.It was relatives that contributed some money that I used to take him to the hospital,” he said rather sadly.

Money for further treatment

He called on the state government and good Samaritans to come to his aid by helping him with money to commence further treatment that will enable Hussein to recover his sight. Hussein’s uncle, Mr Haruna Iliaya, said he received the news with shock because Hussein was a very young boy who is still struggling and was yet to achieve anything in life. 

“ It is very unfortunate because Hussein is just 18 years and for him to lose his sight at a tender age, it is very sad.We have no choice, but to continue to show him love and care and hope that he will overcome the challenge,” he said. Reacting to the development, the State Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Mahmood Mohammed, said that the police had not yet received any information concerning the incident, but will investigate the matter.
Source:Vanguard