Patients and health workers at the Federal Medical Centre (F.M.C) in Owo, Ondo State, South West Nigeria panicked and sought cover on Monday as armed soldiers allegedly invaded the Emergency Room (E.R.) of the medical centre.
But F.M.C sources have also explained to sharpedgenews.com that the presence of the gun-totting soldiers who were purportedly accompanied by plain cloth and uniformed policemen; was not an invasion per se. Hospital sources said that the armed soldiers had accompanied a patient whom they had shot during a communal clash at Ajowa, Oka-Akoko town in the Northern part of the State.
According to the hospital sources, the soldiers were the ones who allegedly shot the individual who was brought into the Emergency Room.
They came in order to explain the circumstance of the massive gun shot that tore through the patient’s back and came out on the chest. They came to explain that he was not an armed robber.
But other eyewitnesses told sharpedgenews.com that the military personnel behaved rudely and looked menacing as they demanded immediate attention for the man they had shot. They allegedly came into the hospital emergency ward with loaded guns. Both doctors and patients allegedly panicked.
A female doctor, names withheld, was said to have picked her notes and run out of the ward because of the effect of psychological trauma from past encounter during one of which a soldier’s gun accidentally discharged bullets.
A patient simply identified as Chimezie, who was said to have come from Idoani, allegedly went into shock and subsequently died at the emergency room on Monday.
Sharpedgenews.com was told that although late Chimezie died when the soldiers came in, his case may not be related to the gun-shot incidence. Chimezie was described as a difficult patient, who had made some medical progress after being admitted for some serious injuries. He was said to be fond of having violent exchanges with doctors and nurses. He was told not to eat before coming to F.M.C. on Monday, he did not listen. His situation was beyond redemption.
The female doctor that initially ran when the soldiers arrived said she had to run because she had witnessed a similar situation before in an hospital ward. “their gun went off and someone got killed”.
The young man who was shot by the soldiers was said to have been involved in a communal feud and would not listen to the police before soldiers intervened. He allegedly disrespected the police and went violent at Ajowa, Oka Akoko about one and a half hour drive from the F.M.C at Owo.
Sharpedgenews.com reports that the victim was promptly taken into the surgical room and had a procedure. There is no news yet on his condition. But he lost so much blood.