Activities
at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) were disrupted, on
Thursday, when policemen who brought corpses of their colleagues killed in Bama
to the morgue went on the rampage, shooting a medical doctor and beating up
some medical staff.
at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) were disrupted, on
Thursday, when policemen who brought corpses of their colleagues killed in Bama
to the morgue went on the rampage, shooting a medical doctor and beating up
some medical staff.
They were also said to have destroyed
medical laboratory equipment in the hospital.
medical laboratory equipment in the hospital.
A staff of the hospital who did not want
his name in print told the Nigerian Tribune that the police were told that the
morgue was full, but the police insisted that the corpses must be deposited.
his name in print told the Nigerian Tribune that the police were told that the
morgue was full, but the police insisted that the corpses must be deposited.
He said: “You know when there is no place
to keep corpses, sometimes they are kept on the floor pending when a space is
created for refrigerating, but when they came this morning, the mobile
policemen went on the rampage and started shooting. They beat up a professor
and other medical staff and also shot a medical doctor before some miltary men
in the hospital brought the situation under control.”
to keep corpses, sometimes they are kept on the floor pending when a space is
created for refrigerating, but when they came this morning, the mobile
policemen went on the rampage and started shooting. They beat up a professor
and other medical staff and also shot a medical doctor before some miltary men
in the hospital brought the situation under control.”
According to him, the hospital had been closed,
as some doctors had threatened they would no longer attend to policemen who
were being brought for treatment almost on daily basis.
as some doctors had threatened they would no longer attend to policemen who
were being brought for treatment almost on daily basis.
“The doctors are saying that they deserve
some respect from the uniform men because some of the security operatives, particularly
the police, have this disrespecting attitude towards them.
some respect from the uniform men because some of the security operatives, particularly
the police, have this disrespecting attitude towards them.
Some of these doctors and professor they
beat up would have been IGPs if they are in uniforms, but somebody who is far
down the ladder treats them as nobody,” he explained.Attempts to get the
Chief Medical Director, Professor Tahir Othman, to speak on the incident
did not yield results.
beat up would have been IGPs if they are in uniforms, but somebody who is far
down the ladder treats them as nobody,” he explained.Attempts to get the
Chief Medical Director, Professor Tahir Othman, to speak on the incident
did not yield results.
Attempts to confirm the incident failed as
the Nigeria Tribune attempted speaking with the Police Commissioner, Yuguda
Abdullahi, who was at the Maiduguri Government House about one hour after the
incident.
the Nigeria Tribune attempted speaking with the Police Commissioner, Yuguda
Abdullahi, who was at the Maiduguri Government House about one hour after the
incident.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Police
Commissioner, Yuguda Abdullahi, was at the UMTH, about four hours after the
incident.
Commissioner, Yuguda Abdullahi, was at the UMTH, about four hours after the
incident.
But Dr Mohammed Yahaya, a senior registrar
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, who is also the president of the
Association of Resident Doctors, told Nigerian Tribune in an interview that
they had endured humiliation by the police particularly and were not ready to
take what happened today lightly.
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, who is also the president of the
Association of Resident Doctors, told Nigerian Tribune in an interview that
they had endured humiliation by the police particularly and were not ready to
take what happened today lightly.
He, therefore, said he had declared an
indefinite strike with immediate effect from today, because according to him,
they had been cooperating with the management of the hospital as well as the
security in order to see that they work together for the common good, but that
the police had been harassing them.
indefinite strike with immediate effect from today, because according to him,
they had been cooperating with the management of the hospital as well as the
security in order to see that they work together for the common good, but that
the police had been harassing them.
He said they have left the comfort of their
houses to save lives, but the police particularly were not appreciative of what
they are doing as such, the hospital is no longer save for them to operate.
houses to save lives, but the police particularly were not appreciative of what
they are doing as such, the hospital is no longer save for them to operate.
“We demand an unreserved apology from the
higher authority of the police and assurance that such would never happened
again if we are to return to duty. They beat up our professors, they beat up
our teachers our doctors are right now on admission wit fracture as a result of
police madness because they brought the corpses of 35 policemen killed in Bama
and we tried to explain to them that there was no space at the morgue,” he
added.
higher authority of the police and assurance that such would never happened
again if we are to return to duty. They beat up our professors, they beat up
our teachers our doctors are right now on admission wit fracture as a result of
police madness because they brought the corpses of 35 policemen killed in Bama
and we tried to explain to them that there was no space at the morgue,” he
added.
Also speaking, a medical scientist (name
withheld), who was beat up and his handset collected told our correspondent
that, he was busy trying to get the result of some patients when the mobile
broke in and started beating everybody and shooting sporadically.
withheld), who was beat up and his handset collected told our correspondent
that, he was busy trying to get the result of some patients when the mobile
broke in and started beating everybody and shooting sporadically.
“ It was sad and pathetic, a rather
uncivilize and unprofessional way of doing things. Dr. Abba Kabir, who have
been attending to patients in now being attended to because the police feels
they have not been treated fairly when they are aware that the morgue was full
to capacity and we are doing our best to accomodate the corpses they brought
despite our predicament.” He said.
uncivilize and unprofessional way of doing things. Dr. Abba Kabir, who have
been attending to patients in now being attended to because the police feels
they have not been treated fairly when they are aware that the morgue was full
to capacity and we are doing our best to accomodate the corpses they brought
despite our predicament.” He said.
Source: Tribune
