A 29-year-old man from Onicha Igboeze, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has recounted how he lost both arms in a tragic accident while attempting to help a friend salvage his shop from demolition in Abuja.
The incident occurred on February 18, 2014, at Apo Mechanical Village, where the man was working as a general apprentice learning to repair Peugeot vehicles. According to him, a shop owner dealing in vehicle spare parts pleaded with him and other apprentices to assist in relocating his container to avoid it being demolished.
“In the process of moving a metal pole near the container, I didn’t realise there was a high-tension wire above us. The pole touched the wire, and I was electrocuted. The burns I sustained on my hands and legs were severe,” he explained.
He was rushed to a clinic, then a health centre, and eventually to Asokoro General Hospital, where he underwent two surgeries. When one of the surgeries failed and his arms became stiff and blackened, doctors advised amputation.
“My family hoped there could be another way, so we tried a herbal centre, but my condition worsened. I was later taken to the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Enugu, where both arms were amputated,” he said.
The man, who was just 18 at the time, said his father, uncle, and well-wishers bore the cost of his treatment. Although the ordeal left him dependent in some situations, he has taught himself to handle daily tasks like bathing, washing clothes, and carrying his bag.
“It’s not easy, but I refuse to let it weigh me down. People won’t always be there to help, so I had to figure out ways to live independently,” he said.
Despite dropping out of secondary school due to financial constraints, he continues to adapt to life without arms and is determined not to let his disability define him.
