Rafiu Kehinde Ambali, a Nigerian university graduate diagnosed with chronic diabetes and a complicated infection in 2019, has told FIJ how his plans to secure specialist healthcare abroad were ruined because his guardian stole from him and took years to return the money in bits.

FIJ had reported how Taiwo Abdukabir Adesina siphoned N7 million and N7.5 million from Ambali’s surgery funds in 2022.

FIJ confirmed that Adesina completely refunded the N14.5 million on Friday, but Ambali has explained how the process affected his plans to receive proper medical care from specialists abroad.

READ MORE: After FIJ’s Story, Taiwo Abdulkabir Returns N14.5m He Siphoned From Friend’s Surgery Fund

“It’s no news that I trusted my friend and guardian [Adesina] with my banking details due to my deteriorating sight before a major surgery I underwent in Sokoto, but he later betrayed my trust by transferring the bulk of the donation I received from the public to his personal account without my consent after initially lending him part of it for proof of funds,” Ambali told FIJ on Saturday.

“I never believed he would do such to me despite his support during my trying time. Ever since I got to know about this tragic event, Abdulkabir has been at large and he has been communicating with me through SMS, using his wife’s phone number. I tried my best to get him arrested, but my efforts proved abortive.

“Despite being at large, he has been refunding the money I borrowed him for POF and the one he transferred without my consent in batches.

“He was able to refund the money in 39 batches over a period of two years and sixteen days  (approximately 24 months and 16 days), from February 21, 2022, to March 8, 2024.

“Yesterday, he sent me the remaining balance and he’s no longer owing me a kobo. I’m crestfallen because I couldn’t achieve the aim of the foreign trip again, and I have no choice but to manage my case here in Nigeria using the recovered funds.”

FIJ understands that Ambali has visited a dozen hospitals and managed many minor surgical interventions since 2022. He said that he often had to travel from one state to another. He visited Usman Dan Fodiyo Teaching Hospital, Sokoto; University College Hospital, Ibadan; Fiyinfolu Medical Center, Osogbo; Eye Foundation Hospital in Lagos; Life Bridge Medical Diagnostics Center, Abuja; Clina Lancet Laboratory, Ibadan; Me Cure Healthcare Limited, Ibadan; Divine Mercy Medical and Laboratory Services in Osogbo; the Occularist Specialist Hospital in Lagos; Banner Diagnostics International Center, Ile-Ife, Osun State; and Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital in Osun State.

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“My recovery is in phases, and I’ve seen a lot of improvement in my health over the years. My eye, which appeared blurry, is now clear after necessary drugs and precautions,” Ambali told FIJ on Saturday.

“Also, my sugar level has been regulated. Unlike before, I’m no longer bedridden. I can now walk, speak (to some extent), bathe, eat and travel by myself without being assisted. These are the sorts of progress I’ve made so far, but I’m still having hospital appointments for the mouth challenges, to replace the lost ocular artificial eye prosthesis and other checkups. I’m not 100 percent physically fit, though.

“The worst part of my case upon the challenges is that I lost the ocular prothesis artificial eye on Saturday, last two weeks.

“It’s so painful; I lost N1.2 million worth of prosthesis. I’ve logged a complaint to the ocularist that the prothesis was not fixed well. Even though I went back to Lagos, there was no positive change to my complaint.

“Once again, Taiwo Kabir Adesina is no longer owing me a penny, but his actions have disrupted my plans to make the foreign trip a reality.

“Abdulkabir used to send money through his wife’s account on a monthly basis to me before the money was completed yesterday. I received calls, and what I noticed is that some people thought that he paid the money in bulk yesterday, not knowing that the money was paid to me piecemeal and used to cater for my health challenges. He sent the balance to me yesterday, which was N1.35 million.”

READ MORE: Taiwo Abdulkabir Helped His Dying Friend Raise N16m for Surgery. He ‘Stole’ N14.5m!

Ambali told FIJ that he was referred to a particular specialist because a specific prosthesis was needed to fit in his eye socket.

The specialist, an ocularist, told Ambali that he needed to meet specialists in the ear-nose-throat department prior to a prosthetic eye fitting.

“With the situation now, I have been referred to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital for another ocular eye prosthesis,” Ambali explained.

“For accountability of the recovered funds, I’ve been documenting my expenses on drugs, logistics, tests, upkeep and surgeries.”