Kano teen battles deadly facial tumour, begs for surgery support

In the bustling streets of Kano, a young 18-year-old boy, Salisu Sani, has become a poignant sight for commuters. His face is marred by a severe, disfiguring disease, which he believes to be Noma, forcing him to stand under the relentless sun, begging for assistance. Salisu is from Yalwa town in Kano State's Tofa Local Government Area, and he speaks to the Daily Trust about how the illness has left him in perpetual agony and robbed him of his dreams.

The swelling on his face has resulted in a tumor near his cheek and jaw, drastically altering his facial appearance.

As the eldest of six siblings, Salisu has endured this ailment since his younger years, with the condition progressively worsening. He admits the constant pain keeps him awake at night, preventing him from attending school and stifling his ambitions. Initially, Salisu underwent surgery at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), but doctors emphasized the critical need for a second procedure to preserve his eyesight.

Alas, his parents' financial constraints have made it impossible for them to bear the cost of the second surgery.

Salisu has already spent a considerable sum on the first surgery and had to reach out to various sources for support. Now, day after day, he stands in front of the residence of late Alhaji Bashir Tofa, the 1992 National Republican Convention (NRC) presidential candidate, hoping to garner public sympathy. He implores government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and philanthropists to aid him in funding the critical surgery, expressing his willingness to do anything to rid himself of the tumor.

Despite visiting hospitals in Kano, Sokoto, and consulting traditional medicine practitioners, Salisu's condition continues to deteriorate, and he yearns only to have the tumor removed from his face.