From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Wednesday expressed dismay at what it described as hasty conclusion by the police on the murder of a Delta State based medical doctor, Uyi Iluobe by yet to be identified gunmen.
The state police command had stated that the murder incident was cult related after preliminary investigation.
Iluobe was reportedly murdered at his hospital in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state on December 29, 2022.
In a statement issued in Asaba, the state chapter of NMA called on the police to thoroughly investigate the matter, noting that the deceased doctor received threats from a previously treated and discharged gun shot patient who was unable to pay his medical bills.
The statement was jointly signed by the state vice chairman of NMA, Okwuze Anthony and secretary, Oge Nwokwule.
According to the statement, the late Dr. Iluobe was threatened by the said gun shot patient last October.
“We gathered from the wife of the deceased that the doctor has had a brawl with some patients relative in times past due to their unwillingness to pay accrued bill from services rendered by the doctor.
“We were also informed that sometime in October, 2022, the deceased doctor treated a patient with gun shot wounds. On discharge, the patient refused to pay accrued bill. The issue was reported to the police authority in Oghara. It is alleged that the police assisted the doctor in recovering his money.
“It was also alleged that the said patient threatened to deal with the doctor.
“The NMA Delta State is reliably informed that there has been cases of threat to life to the doctor by some youths of the community,” they stated.
On the day of the incident, the NMA also narrated what transpired between a female patient and the doctor at the hospital, saying that while treatment was going on, the female patient allegedly made a call after which some gunmen moved into the clinic and ordered everybody to lie face down.
“They approached the doctor and shot him twice in the chest and left with the last who purportedly presented with severe abdominal pains in a black Toyota salon car with tinted windows,” it added.
Describing the late Dr. Iluobe as a gentle, committed, dedicated and dutiful, NMA reiterated it’s call on the police to leave no stone unturned in unravelling the remote and immediate causes of the murder, and speedily bring the perpetrators to book.