Pretty girl gets acid bath

A 26-year-old lady identified as Jamila Musa, is currently fighting for her life at the hospital, after being bathed with acid in her house on Sunday, May 29.

The indigene of Edo state who works with Flour Mills of Nigeria, said she had recognized the voice of her assailant prior to being bathed in acid.

Here’s what she said below:

“A minute to 10pm on Sunday, I was sleeping in my room when I heard a knock on my door. I didn’t recognize the voice immediately but now I am sure of the voice. He said my boyfriend sent him to give me a message. My boyfriend usually sends motorcycle operators to me so I assumed he was the one that sent this one and as I was trying to open the door, he poured the acid on my face. I rushed outside, I could not shout for about five minutes but when I started shouting, my neighbours gathered and washed my face with soap; they applied honey and pap to it before rushing me to the hospital.

I suspect his wife sent someone to attack me, I did not know at first that he was married but when I realized it, I tried to cut him off. I only knew that he was married when his wife started sending me text messages, insulting and threatening me, I even told him that I was going to report her to the police but he asked me to leave her alone.

Jamila also said the police has been notified of her ordeal, and claims the hospital she was taken to (Kubwa general hospital, Abuja) abandoned her:

“I have reported to the Zuba police station and they said they will arrest my boyfriend, his wife and her brother. But this people here are not attending to me, I feel as if my condition is now worse, compared to when I came; I can no longer see well, the acid did not affect my eyeballs so I believe that when the swelling reduces, I will see again. But they are not attending to me, if they cannot treat me, they should refer me elsewhere, they should take care of me, I don’t want to lose my sight.

Look at my face, I want to recover from this, the acid did not affect my eyeball, I can see the reflection of light from the windows, I just want the swelling to go down but I feel abandoned, they treat others and abandon me, if they cannot do it, they should refer me to another hospital. This thing was not like this when I came here; I am scared; I don’t want to rot here.”

The hospital denied her accusations of abandonment through the medical director Dr. Amadu Danfulani, who said she has been undergoing treatment. Here’s what he said below:

“We have not neglected her, she is being treated; she was treated this morning and given her regular medication. She is in pains but we cannot give her an overdose of pain relief, we will till the appropriate time to give her the medication but she is in good hands and we are taking care of her.”

According to Dr Okuongghu Frank who is in charge of her case, she’s in no danger of losing her sight. Here’s what he said:

“Her fears of blindness are because of the swelling but once the swelling reduces, hopefully, she will see better. But that is not to say everything is okay because there are some follow-ups to do. She has the right to be scared but with adequate management, she will get better. Hers is different, she was not seriously burnt, it is superficial burns, her skin was not really burnt.”

One of her colleagues at work identified as Banji Johnson, said he was surprised at what she’s going through. Here’s what he said:

“We have worked together for about a year and half, she is not troublesome, never quarrels with anyone, free and extremely hard-working so we were surprised at what happened to her. We mobilized ourselves to visit her as soon as we heard the news in the office. We believe that with God, all things are possible and she will get better. We appeal to the hospital to take care of her.”

Her younger sister Hassana, said she almost didn’t recognize her when she went to see her at the hospital. Here’s what she said:

“We don’t stay together, my elder sister called me yesterday to say someone poured Jamila acid and when I came to check on her, I could not recognize her. Our father is dead but our mother is still alive and on her way here.”