By Shakirudeen Bankole
*Photo: Mogaji with his daughter, Habeebat at LASUTH*
Aminu Mukhtar Mogaji, an official of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Watch is down with a life-threatening illness and is appealing to kind-hearted Nigerians for urgent support to stay alive.
*Mogaji in uniform*
He urgently needs ₦2 million to fund a critical surgical operation to save his clogged and failing internal organs.
According to a medical report from Badagry General Hospital, Lagos State, Mogaji is suffering from an advanced stage of Hepatitis B, one of the dreaded silent killer infections that often strike without warning.
Due to the silent progression of the disease and late detection, it has severely damaged his liver, leading to cirrhosis and significant impairment of his internal organs, placing him dangerously close to a point of no return.
With his liver critically compromised, Mogaji’s immune system has weakened, leaving him vulnerable to complications such as liver cancer, toxin buildup, abdominal swelling (ascites), swollen legs, jaundice, excessive bleeding from minor injuries, digestive problems, and the frightening risk of slipping into a coma.
“They said I got my condition from Hepatitis B. I do not know how I contracted it because I have never smoked or consumed alcohol in my life,” he told this reporter, expressing shock and disbelief over the cause of his condition.
However, studies have shown that Hepatitis B can be contracted in several ways, including through saliva exchange, sexual intercourse, unsterilized sharp objects, or contact with infected bodily fluids.
Tall and lanky, Mogaji’s once-admired physical appearance has been tragically altered by his condition.
His body now tells a painful story. His abdomen now protrudes heavily due to internal pressure, his head appears slightly heavier than normal swollen due perhaps to the depreciating status of his neck, his legs are enlarged, and his voice is weakened by excruciating pains. Mobility has also been difficult for him.
Each word he speaks now carries the weight of a man fighting not just illness, but the fear of being forgotten.
“I need help, and it is urgent,” he said, his voice trembling with desperation. “My survival depends on raising the money for this surgery.”
“I am begging Nigerians and anyone God has blessed to please come to my aid,” he pleaded further, his appeal not just a request, but a cry for life.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) notes that the major end-stage outcomes of Hepatitis B include liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), with most deaths resulting from these complications.
This underscores the urgency of Mogaji’s condition, any delay in treatment could mean the difference between life and death.
Meanwhile, while awaiting surgery, Mogaji survives on medications and tests costing an average of ₦60,000 monthly, an amount that has become an unbearable burden.
As a Level 9 (Step 3) officer with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency, his gross monthly salary is ₦196,568.07, covering basic pay and allowances.
However, loan repayments, taxes, health insurance, union dues, and cooperative contributions amount to ₦181,568.07, leaving him and his undergraduate daughter with barely ₦5,000 to survive each month, a heartbreaking reality for a man who once stood strong to protect others.
To cover medical expenses, he has taken multiple soft loans, now deducted directly from his earnings, further deepening his financial crisis and pushing him closer to despair.
“May 14, 2026, is my next appointment at LASUTH. They charge ₦30,000 per day until the surgery is done. I had no choice but to return home because I could not afford it,” he explained, each missed day of treatment a silent step toward danger.
Now confined at home with his condition deteriorating, Mogaji must raise the required funds before his scheduled appointment. His survival depends on it, and perhaps, on the compassion of those reading this.
“I do not want to die now. Please help me, kind-hearted Nigerians,” he pleaded, a simple sentence, but one that carries the weight of a family’s entire future.
Despite being a government employee, Mogaji says he has received little support.
“Since last year when my condition was diagnosed, I have been running from pillar to post. Support has been coming from my friends, colleagues, and relatives, but not much has been heard from my employer,” he alleged.
He lamented that,
“Unfortunately, even though I work under the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency, the LSHS (Ilera-Eko) does not cover my condition. In many cases, any drug above ₦1,000 to ₦2,000 that I need must be purchased out-of-pocket,” he added.
His situation further exposes the systemic gaps that leave vulnerable, lower-cadre workers with limited health coverage, while quality healthcare remains largely accessible to those who can afford it.
Born into a humble background, Mogaji has spent over two decades instilling discipline, education, and integrity in his children as a pathway out of poverty. Today, the same man who built hope for others now depends on strangers to help him survive.
His first daughter, Habeebat, a 22-year-old undergraduate at Lagos State University, embodies these values.
“Habeebat is an epitome of excellence, focused, disciplined, trustworthy, and compassionate,” said Mr. Kenneth Onwuka, her former tutor.
“You will always find her doing the right thing at the right time. She is a child anyone should pray to have.”
However, financial hardship has stalled her academic journey.
Three years ago, her father could not afford her university education despite taking a ₦300,000 cooperative loan, which proved insufficient for fees, accommodation, and study materials. She had initially aspired to study Nursing at the Lagos State University College of Nursing but abandoned the dream despite securing admission.
Eventually, she switched to Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) and gained admission into Lagos State University last year. Shortly after, her father’s illness worsened, forcing her to juggle her studies with caregiving responsibilities.
Speaking with our reporter, Habeebat said saving her father would also mean saving her from the brink of emotional collapse.
Her words:
“Ever since my dad was diagnosed with Hepatitis B last year, it has been one struggle after another.
“Academically, I have been trying so hard to maintain my GPA, but it hasn’t been easy. I barely have time to study and often miss classes just to take him to the hospital.
“The worst part is the financial struggle, there are times I need to pay for manuals and academic materials, but there are no funds because my dad can barely take care of himself, let alone support me.
“All of this has affected my mental health, emotions, and physical well-being negatively.
‘I need help. But first and foremost, I am pleading with Nigerians—please help my dad survive.
“I don’t want to lose him. I don’t think I will ever recover.
“Please help us,” she cried.
A CALL TO HUMANITY
At this critical moment, every second counts. Every naira donated is not just money, it is a lifeline, a chance to rewrite this story from tragedy to survival.
Mogaji has served his community. Now, he needs his community, and the nation, to stand for him.
Your kindness, no matter how small, could be the difference between a father living to see another day or a family left with irreversible loss.
For Donations and Support
Kindly contact Mogaji or his daughter via the numbers below or send contributions to the accounts provided:
ACCOUNT DETAILS
Aminu Mukhtar Mogaji
Account Number: 3117694157
Bank: First Bank
Aminu Mukhtar Mogaji
Account Number: 8029196670
Bank: Opay (Paycom)
CONTACT NUMBERS
Mogaji:
+234 802 919 6670
Daughter:
+234 815 762 2245