Five gunmen, suspected to be
ritualists on Sunday invaded the government hospital in Ado-Ekiti, demanding
for new born babies.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports that the gunmen who were said to be numbering about five, arrived at
the hospital at about 1:00 a.m. demanding for a day old babies, and beating up
staff who could not give satisfactory answer.
A senior health officer, who
pleaded anonymity, said that the armed men invaded the hospital located along
Irona area at about 1:00 a.m. and suddenly began molesting medical officials on
night duty.
According to the officer, the
invaders, who were fully armed, demanded for the whereabouts of a particular
baby, said to have been delivered earlier in the day.
“They got more annoyed when they
were told that no baby was available in the hospital as at the time they came,
it angered then the more and they went berserk,’’ the officer said.
This development, NAN learnt
angered the men who beat up the hospital staff and injured some of them.
“As a senior person on duty, I
tried to convince them that all new born babies have been discharged from the
centre in the last couple of days, but they refused to be convinced.
“This angered them the more and
they descended on the staff beating us, some of them were busy ransacking the
place in search of babies,’’ the source said.
When contacted, the Chairman of
Ado Local Government, Mr Tope Olanipekun confirmed the incident, saying “this
is a new twist to crime in the area’’.
Olanipekun, who claimed to have
visited the hospital to see things for himself, described the incident as
“highest point of callousness on the part of the perpetrators.’’
“As I speak, the incident
actually happened and I want to assure you that we are taking step to forestall
a recurrence.’’
The chairman said that he had
already ordered that night duty be suspended in all the hospitals in the
council, pending when tight security measures, which would include fencing of
all health centres will be done.
The State Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr Victor Babayemi, ASP, who was surprised at the
development, however said the incident was yet to be reported to the police
command.
PM NEWS
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