Bauchi: 6-year-old mutilated by ritualists on genitals, returns from hospital healthy

The 6-year-old was violently attacked in December 2020 by two persons in Jama’are, the headquarters of Jama’are Local Government Area of state.

The assailants had mutilated the childs’ genitals but she was later admitted to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, where she underwent reconstruction surgeries.

Receiving the little Hawa’u on Monday, Governor Mohammed expressed happiness that after the surgeries, the minor had completely healed and ready to be reunited with her parents and loved ones.

While appreciating God for the successful treatment of the girl, the governor declared that she was really lucky as it was not everyone who could be as lucky as she was, saying her healing was a miracle.

“I am really delighted to see my little Hawa’u back as a normal person, an innocent six-year-old that was mercilessly mutilated in her genitals and rooted. Today we are receiving her. It’s a miracle that she’s a normal person, so, we must thank God almighty for this.

“The Commissioner for Health had said all the stages of her reconstruction, all the surgeries were successful. God has answered our prayers; it is not everyone that can be so lucky like little Hawa’u,” Governor Mohammed said.

Describing Hawa’u’s travails as a reflection of the deterioration of the society, the governor said her experience in the hands of evil men was very unfortunate and called on her parents to always keep their eyes on her now that she would return home a healed person.

According to him, “the travails of this baby is the whole reflection of our deterioration as a society and our descent as a people. It is with a mixed feeling that I meet her because if somebody will see this innocent girl and then carry knives and cutlasses and then uproot her precious body just because of cultism or voodism or whatever, it is very unfortunate.

“I am calling on the Nigerians, especially our people, to know that there is a day of judgement and this day of judgement is not after we die only, even from here. This act of savagery, is so dehumanizing. The government cannot do it alone, our communities must stand up.

“And the parents must make sure that they don’t allow little Hawa’u to be alone or to be sent on errands or to be out of school. The father must know this; he has a responsibility and all of us parents.”

While telling her parents to make sure that they take good care of the girl “because she is now a global person; she is no longer your daughter only”, Governor Mohammed assured that the state government would take care of her health in case there are any complications later.

“The Nigerian and international communities are looking and that is why we will watch her development because she may have complications, any complications that arise later we are going to take care of them,” he said.

He added that the state government would take over her education from primary to the tertiary level, adding that, “I want us to discuss this even at the state executive council so that if I go this good gesture will not diminish.”

Governor Mohammed then expressed the state government’s appreciation to the medical team which handled Hawa’u case, describing them as kind-hearted individuals who donated money, non-governmental organisations and all the groups who showed interest in her case, including the international community.

According to him, the feat achieved by the medical team at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, showed that the country’s medical systems were working, saying that, “all we need to do is to just show some seriousness. I wouldn’t believe that this is the same girl that was almost on the verge of being taken to the grave that is sitting down with us.”

“On behalf of the state government, I wish to convey our appreciation to the medical team, especially the management of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for performing such a feat. Definitely, there is hope for all of us.

Speaking earlier while presenting Hawa’u and her parents to the governor, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Aliyu Maigoro Mohammed, informed that the girl was admitted at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, where she had three different operations.

He revealed that the minor was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, 6th April 2021 after spending 65 days there.

“Barely two days after the incident, we visited her and upon your directives, you gave a total sum of N1 million to be deposited for her care.