Gunmen invade Ado-Ekiti govt hospital demanding for new born babies

By The Citizen

Five gunmen suspected to be ritualists on Sunday invaded the government hospital in Ado-Ekiti, demanding for new born babies.

The gunmen arrived in  the hospital at about 1:00 am,demanding for day old babies, and beating up staff who could not give satisfactory answers.

A senior health officer,who pleaded anonymity, said  the armed men invaded the hospital located in the Irona area at about 1:00am and suddenly began molesting medical officials on night duty.

According to the officer, the invaders who were fully armed were rhetorically demanding for the where about 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 they came, it angered then the more and they wen berserk,''the officer said.

This development 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 he had already ordered that night duty be suspended in all the hospitals in the council, pending the tied security measures which would include fencing of all health centres.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr Victor Babayemi, ASP,  who was surprised at the development, however said the incident was yet to be reported to the Police Command.