BIGPEN NIGERIA (www.bigpenngr.com) reports that NMA made the threat following the reported murder of Dr Iluobe, an ordained minister with the Church of God Mission Ministries, in his privately-owned hospital (Olivet clinic) in Oghareki, Ethiope West local government area of Delta state.
While some version of reports say the medical doctor was allegedly killed by unknown assailants on the evening of 29th December 2022, another version says he was alleged to have been attacked and killed by the relatives of his patient at the hospital.
Sources said to be close to the family had revealed that Dr Uyi had received numerous threats in the course of his selfless services in the community.
A version of the incident has it that the deceased was in the consulting room with a patient (who is currently at large) who came in with severe pains and was being reviewed urgently without registration in medical records when suddenly the assailants came in and shot him dead.
The lady (supposed patient) and the assassins left hurriedly in a car parked outside the hospital while other hospital staffs were all lying face down and in fear.
According to account of the deceased family, few days before he was assassinated, a gunshot victim was brought to the hospital and in following the laws, he advised that they would need to provide a police report before treatment is commenced but they rather insisted that the victim be treated off police notification.
“He refused and they took the gunshot victim away angry and furious”, sources said.
Reacting to the incident, the NMA South-South Caucus/Zone, in a statement on Tuesday, signed by Dr Udoka Imoisili, Chairman, NMA Edo State branch/South-South Caucus and Dr Collins Otoikhila Secretary, NMA Edo State branch/South-South Caucus/ZEC, said they received with rude shock the news of the gruesome murder of Dr.Uyi lluobe.
“While the South-South caucus/zone in conjunction with the Delta State branch of NMA is working hard to unravel the circumstances behind this unwarranted murder of a dutiful medical doctor, the zone strongly condemns this dastardly act and in the interim, resolves as follows:
“That the relevant security agencies step up their efforts to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime within five (5) days, after which the South- South caucus may not be able to guarantee the rendering of normal medical services in the entire South-South zone.
“That members of all NMA State branches in the South-South Zone should henceforth put on black arm bands throughout this week to mourn our colleague, Dr Uyi lluobe”.
The organization, however threatened to commence one week total shut down of hospitals in Delta state after its press conference billed for Wednesday, 4th of January, 2022.
The zonal body, also said that if the law enforcement agencies do not fish out the murderers of our colleague at the expiration of one week, the whole states in South-South zone of NMA will down tools.
“While we mourn the unfortunate murder of our colleague, we wish to assure all our members in the South-South Zone that we shall pursue this case to its logical conclusion.We will not spare anything to ensure that Dr Uyi lluobe and his family gets justice”, the statement added.
National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Uche Ojinmah, on Monday, in an earlier statement, had urged the National Assembly to criminalise violence against healthcare workers in the country.
Ojinmah said, “The Nigerian Medical Association received with shock and sadness the news of the murder on December 31, 2022, of Dr Iluobe by the relatives of his patient at Oghara, where his practice was based.
“The above scenario being the response of the relatives to the loss of a patient from suspected gunshot injuries can never be justified and has taken violence against doctors and other healthcare workers from injuries to murder.
“It is unbelievable that in the face of a debilitating medical brain drain, the few doctors that patriotically decided to stay back and take care of our fellow citizens are being murdered by same Nigerians.
“While we sympathise with the family of the patient that was lost, we strongly condemn this murder and call on the Government of Delta State, and the Inspector-General of Police to, as a matter of urgency, to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book so as to assuage the pain we feel. A man should not be murdered for the selfless act of being on duty on New Year’s Eve.”
But dismissing the claim by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) that the deceased was allegedly killed by relative of a patient brought to his privately owned clinic, State Police Public Relation Officer DSP Bright Edafe, in a terse message on Tuesday night, said: “The rumor making rounds that he was murdered by the family of a patient who died in the hospital is false pls.
“There is no record of any patient death in the hospital, however we are investigating to unravel the reason why he was murdered and also arrest the suspects”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, has assured members of the Nigerian Medical Association Delta State Chapter of thorough investigation over the death of Dr. Uyi Iluobe.
The police boss gave the assurance after he met with the state chapter of NMA in Asaba, the state capital.
The Commissioner of Police, while extending his heartfelt condolences to the family members of the deceased medical doctor and also members of the Nigerian Medical Association, reassured them that the case will be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the deserved justice is served.
Police Public Relation Officer DSP Bright Edafe who confirmed the death of the medical practitioner, said that preliminary investigation revealed that on the said date, a female patient whose name and address are not known came to the hospital at about 1940 hours pretending to have abdominal pain.
“While the doctor was attending to her, she made a phone call to the suspects whom she deceptively invited to come and pay her bill and that she was being treated by the doctor. Moments later, the hoodlums stormed the hospital in a Toyota vehicle, entered the doctor’s office, and shot him twice in the chest, leading to his death. The purported female patient fled alongside the suspects.
“Finally, it is pertinent to state clearly that the rumours making rounds that the family members of a supposedly dead patient were responsible for the murder of the doctor is completely false and should be disregarded as there is no record of any patient that died prior to the unfortunate incidence. The Command thus wishes to finally use this opportunity to seek assistance of all and sundry in our effort to lift the veil off the face of the perpetrators”.
