One killed as nurse is kidnapped in Ekiti

THE Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Dr. Majekodunmi Ayodele yesterday raised an alarm over the incessant kidnap of the staff members of the institution just as he disclosed that another nurse, Mrs. Margaret Aladeneka, was abducted on Sunday.

Besides, the kidnappers also killed one of the occupants of the commercial vehicles believed to know the abductors. Dr. Ayodele also condemned the invasion of the hospital on Wednesday by some youths, claiming to protest that the institution had not given enough preferential treatment to the indigenes of the town in the award of contracts and employments.

The CMD, who expressed concerns over the safety of the workers of the federal institution, however, called on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joshua Ibine and Director of State Security Services, Mr. Duke Fubara to provide adequate security for the workers of the hospital.

Ayodele said the youths under the platform of Ido Youths Vanguard, had protested over a ‘spurious’ claim that they were not being fairly treated in employment, accusing the protesters of committing sacrilege by pelting the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ilori Faboro with pure water sachets for mediating in the issue.

Ayodele, who revealed this during a chat with the newsmen, said Mrs. Aladeneka, who hailed from Akwa Ibom State but married to an indigene of Ondo State, was abducted on Sunday along Ipere –Iludun-Ido Road while travelling on the bad and lonely road with her husband.

He said another occupant of the vehicle, whose identity was not revealed was killed during the operation, which gave apprehension that the perpetrators were members of Ido community and must have had the impression that the man could identify them.

He said: “Up till now, no phone call has been received from the abducted woman and this calls for serious concern. Her whereabouts is unknown. But her husband was brought here because after the incident, his blood pressure had risen.

We have succeeded in stabilising him but he is yet to be discharged”. He said the youths barricaded the main road and closed the main gate during the protest, thereby disrupting the activities of the hospital throughout the day.

The CMD added that it took the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer in Ido/Osi Local Council and the SSS operatives in the area, to restore normalcy while accusing some politicians in the area of allegedly sponsoring the youths against the management of the hospital.

He said that the protesting youths were led by one Layokun Kesta, a known supporter of a lawmaker-elect from the town. Ayodele said: “Whatever we are doing here is being guided by the regulations of the Federal Character Commission.

We have a quota to fill. But as we speak, Ekiti State and particularly Ido Ekiti, had overshot its quota and even the FCC is querying us for this.” “In the employment of the staff on Grade levels 1-6, people of Ido Ekiti were being given over 75 per cent consideration.

We also patronize their artisans as well. So, employment here is primarily based on your relevance.” “ We cannot employ youths that cannot contribute to healthcare delivery because that is our primary mandate.

If you don’t belong to medical line, you have no reason to riot.” “Aside this, this institution is a Federal Government institution and it belongs to all Nigerians. It is very wrong for anybody to query us for employing Ijaw, Hausa or Igbo man.

This is unfortunate and very disheartening,” he lamented. A commissioner in the Federal Character Commission and an indigene of the town, Mr. Bunmi Ojo, who described the situation as worrisome, cited section 14 sub-section 3 of the FCC Act, which made it compulsory for all Federal Government institutions to conform to federal character for stability.

Ojo said Ekiti was entitled to only three per cent of the total workforce in the hospital, let alone Ido Ekiti. Both indigenes and a Borno man have the same right in this hospital and this should be understood”, he clarified.

When called to confirm the incidents, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Ekiti Command, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said he had not been briefed.