Adamawa Teenager Suffers Permanent Eye Damage in Vicious Assault Over Unpaid Food
A harrowing incident has shaken the Lande community in Adamawa state, where a 15-year-old girl, Hasia Abdullah, has lost sight in her right eye following a brutal attack allegedly perpetrated by a 27-year-old man, Adamu Isa. The assault, which occurred on Thursday, March 26, stemmed from a dispute over an unpaid food debt, leaving the young victim with irreversible damage and sparking outrage among local residents.
Victim Recounts Terrifying Ordeal Over Unsettled Payment
Hasia Abdullah, a teenage food vendor who supports her family by selling meals around the local market, narrated the traumatic events to reporters. She explained that Adamu Isa had taken a plate of rice from her without paying. When she later approached him to settle the debt before serving him again, he reportedly asked her to follow him to collect the money from his uncle, claiming the uncle owed him. Skeptical of this arrangement, Hasia initially refused, stating she had no business with their internal disputes.
"I told him, I will not meet my uncle because he was the one who ate the food, and not my uncle, and I don't have any business with what is transpiring between them," Hasia recounted. "He asked me to follow him to go and collect the money." Trusting his assurance, she left her bowl of rice with a friend and accompanied him. However, the situation quickly turned violent when they reached a secluded area. "On our way, we reached a place where nobody was passing by. He stopped beside a tree and took a stick from the ground. I thought he wanted to pursue or send something away. Unfortunately for me, he turned the stick and hit me on my hand for the first time, and when I fell on the ground, he hit me again on my right eye, and I started bleeding," she described.
Rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, Hasia was admitted, and medical examinations revealed devastating news: her right eye had been permanently damaged, with no possibility of restoration. "All I want is for him to bring back my sight. I want to see again with my right eye," she expressed sorrowfully, highlighting the profound impact of the attack on her daily life and future prospects.
Mother's Anguish and Plea for Justice Amidst Family Hardship
The victim's mother, Aisha Yahaya, expressed overwhelming pain and disbelief upon seeing her daughter's condition. "I was sitting under a mango tree together with other women when someone called me, and when I went and saw the condition of my daughter, I started crying because I didn't know where to start from," she lamented. Aisha emphasized the economic strain the family now faces, as Hasia's small food vending business was a crucial source of income for their survival.
"Whenever I remember how he asked her to follow him to collect the money, I feel so much pain within me, because he has cheated me greatly. She is my helping hand always. We are surviving through this little business that she is doing, and now, he has destroyed one of her eyes, leaving me with another burden forever," Aisha stated. She called unequivocally for legal accountability, asserting, "I don't have anything to say, except for the law to take its place on Ado."
Suspect Admits Fault but Offers Contradictory Account of Events
In a separate interview, the alleged suspect, Adamu Isa, provided a different version of the incident. He claimed that the altercation began when he encountered Hasia returning from the market with groundnuts to sell. "She asked me to buy, and I told her I would not buy, so as we were going, the groundnut fell on the ground, and we started picking it and eating. Then she said the groundnut I ate was not hers, so I should pay for it. She insisted she would follow me and collect the money, which I told her not to, but she refused, and that got me angry," he explained.
Adamu admitted to carrying a stick and striking Hasia in the eye, resulting in the severe damage. "The money for the groundnut was #600. I have made a mistake already, and I admit it. I'm pleading for mercy," he stated, expressing remorse for his actions. Despite his plea, authorities have emphasized that the attack constitutes a serious criminal offense.
Police Condemn Assault as Severe Gender-Based Violence
Police Public Relations Officer SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje has condemned the attack, describing it as a severe case of gender-based violence against a teenager. He confirmed that the suspect, Adamu Isa, is in custody and will face legal action for his crime. "The public should not relent in reporting any case to the command," Nguroje urged, reinforcing the police's commitment to protecting citizens and their property. This incident underscores ongoing concerns about violence against women and girls in the region, prompting calls for increased vigilance and community reporting mechanisms.
In a related development, authorities in Cross River state recently arrested 35-year-old Malime Ejor for allegedly killing his 26-year-old girlfriend, Moshie Igu, over claims of infidelity during a heated argument on a farm. Witnesses reported that the dispute escalated violently early Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Nwang Village, Ekajuk community, with Ejor attacking the victim with a machete. ASP Sunday Eitokpah confirmed the suspect is in police custody after being rescued from an angry mob, highlighting a pattern of gender-based violence that demands urgent attention and intervention.
