By Tom Garba, Yola
In a heart-wrenching cry, a resident of Yola North Local Government Area in Adamawa State has issued a desperate appeal to the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), human rights activists, civil society organizations, and compassionate Nigerians to rally for justice on behalf of acid attack survivor Miss Eve Usman Kwala.
Mohammad Fawas, the unintended target of the vicious 2021 assault, broke down in tears as he recounted the nightmare that has left 24-year-old Eve, a native of Hong Local Government Area scarred for life and teetering on the edge of despair.
”Eve must not die; she is innocent and must live to face her future. But those behind this evil act must be brought to book for justice to prevail,” Fawas declared, his voice trembling with raw emotion.
The brutal incident unfolded four years ago on a fateful evening near Ribadu Square in Jimeta. Fawas and four friends were driving around 9 p.m. when they spotted Eve, stranded and offered her a ride home as night fell.
Seated in the front passenger seat, Eve suddenly cried out that “water” had been splashed on her, a chilling prelude to the agony that followed.
The assailants hurled acid at the vehicle, mistaking Fawas for their primary mark in what he describes as a politically motivated hit.
The corrosive liquid seared through clothing and skin, leaving Fawas, his companions, and the innocent hitchhiker with burns so severe their bodies were “peeled down beyond recognition.”
In the chaotic aftermath, one suspect was apprehended but swiftly granted bail, resuming his daily routine while Eve’s pleas for proper medical care went unanswered.
Despite frantic efforts to transfer her to a specialized hospital, bureaucratic hurdles and inadequate resources stalled treatment.
Fawas, who escaped with his life but carries the guilt of collateral damage, attributes the case’s stagnation to interference from “prominent people” determined to sweep the matter under the rug.
Today, Eve’s condition deteriorates daily in the shadows of neglect. Orphaned and from a family lacking the clout or means to advocate for her, she battles not just physical scars but the isolation of a justice system that has failed her.
”Her life is damaged because of evildoers chasing shadows with no just cause,” Fawas lamented, wiping away tears. “No one is there for her—her family has no one to fight.”
Fawas’s impassioned call extends to Adamawa State Governor Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, urging the government to champion Eve’s cause and ensure accountability.
He implores security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police, to reignite the investigation and unmask the perpetrators.
”This was a deliberate attempt to eliminate my life for political reasons,” he explained, “but it has robbed an innocent woman of her dreams.”
As Eve’s story resurfaces amid growing outcry, advocates hope it ignites a broader reckoning on acid violence in Nigeria—a scourge that claims countless victims, often women, with impunity.
FIDA and human rights groups have yet to respond publicly, but Fawas’s plea underscores a stark truth: silence buries survivors, while justice demands voices like his to rise.
