Abubakar Mohammed was a vigilante commander in Dorayi, Kano State. Today, he's struggling to survive without his left hand.
Thugs attacked him in broad daylight at an A.A Rano filling station. Over one hundred armed assailants descended on him that day.
Mohammed told reporters he'd worked over three decades fighting crime across Kano, Zamfara, and Katsina states. Security improved in most areas where he served, he noted.
Before the attack, criminals had tried killing him at least three times. He'd survived every attempt to eliminate him.
"They saw me as an obstacle," he explained in an interview. "I remained committed to protecting citizens' lives and livelihood."
On the morning of the assault, Mohammed was unarmed at the filling station. He never expected what was about to unfold.
The attackers came with cutlasses and other weapons. Their numbers overwhelmed him instantly.
Mohammed fought to keep them from entering the station. He feared they'd set it ablaze with customers inside.
Station attendants and customers fled in terror. The commander stood his ground alone.
"They kept saying, 'this man must fall today,'" he recalled. The assault was relentless and brutal.
The attackers first targeted his neck. Their cutlass didn't cut deep enough to kill him.
Next, they went for his right thigh. That attempt also failed to seriously injure him.
Then they tried severing his right hand. Only a deep gash resulted from that strike.
Finally, they succeeded in chopping off his left hand. As he lay bleeding, one attacker declared him finished.
That single act transformed Mohammed's entire life. He's now physically disabled and barely getting by.
Authorities and community leaders have largely abandoned him since then. Official support has been minimal at best.
Dorayi is known as a thug hotspot in Kano. Police and community leaders held several peace meetings about the problem.
Nothing came from those meetings. Residents blame collective negligence within the community.
Whistleblowers face serious danger in the area. Arrested suspects leave detention quickly, then target informants.
Released thugs track down whoever gave information to police. Revenge attacks are common.
This system of intimidation keeps residents silent. Fear prevents them from cooperating with security agencies.
Mohammed's sacrifice means little to the community now. He's been left to fend for himself.
His disability has stripped him of basic independence. Finding work or earning income is nearly impossible.
He spent decades protecting others. Today, no one seems willing to protect him.
Mohammed's story reflects a larger crisis in Kano's security landscape. Communities and authorities must do better.
Support for maimed security volunteers cannot remain optional. It must become government policy and community responsibility.
