From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
There was rumpus in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, as some body parts of a nonagenarian woman who died in a privately owned hospital in the Ososami area of the city were allegedly removed.
The deceased, Madam Rachel Osanyintolu, 91, was said to have been taken to Ibadan Central Hospital, Osasami, for medical attention.
Her family members said the woman died on Sunday evening and they could not take her body home immediately. So, they left the body of the woman in the hospital’s morgue around 8pm on Sunday.
The family members alleged that when they got to the hospital on Monday morning to take the body away, they discovered that some parts of the body had been removed, which caused the crisis.
When this reporter sighted the body, the thick skin on the left eyelid had been partially cut off and the skull could be seen. The family also alleged that a pound of flesh from one of the arms of the woman had been cut off between 8pm on Sunday and 7am on Monday.
The bereaved family, however, mobilised people to the hospital and barricaded the entrance of the facility, calling for justice.
One of the sons of the deceased, Henry Osanyintolu, according to sources, went to a nearby police station and reported the matter.
But for the quick intervention of security agents, as gathered, some of the sympathisers that joined the protest would have vandalised facilities in the hospital.
The divisional police officer of Iyaganku and his team were sighted at the hospital, maintaining law and order.
The head of administration in the hospital, Olúwaseun Hastrup, declined comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, the police public relations officer in the state, Adewale Osifeso, a superintendent of police, who confirmed the incident, said the son of the deceased, Henry Osanyintolu, lodged the complaint at about 7:30am on Monday.
He said: “Upon receipt of complaint by one Osanyintolu Henry, male, son of the deceased, regarding the deposited body of his late mother, Boluade Racheal Osanyintolu, the police swung into action.
“The complainant alleged that his mother, who had hitherto been taken to an undisclosed hospital facility in the metropolis for medical intervention on Sunday, October 30, 2022, died at the facility and was deposited at its morgue therein, only to find parts of her forehead and upper right arm flesh cut off from the body.”
Asked if arrests have been made, Osifeso responded: “Arrests have been made and investigation has since commenced, with deployment of ample police personnel to forestall possible breakdown of law and order. Updates would be provided accordingly, please.”
It was further gathered that those that have been arrested and taken to Iyaganku Police Station include doctors, nurses and other staff on duty in the night the incident allegedly occurred.
Some security operatives around the hospital did not entertain questions. One of the staff, who preferred anonymity, said he was not on duty when the incident happened and he could not comment on it. He stated that the staff that could say something on the incident had been arrested and taken to Iyaganku Police Station.
Meanwhile, patients on admission are still being attended to by another set of staff that resumed for morning and afternoon duties.
Daily Sun also made efforts to speak with some residents of Ososami, towards finding out if such an incident had occurred in the hospital in the past. The majority of them kept sealed lips.
One of the residents, who identified himself as Emeka Akuh, said: “I have been living in this area for about five years, and I have not heard of anything as such.
“But there is a possiblity that it had happened before. I am not sure. We heard of this because the family cried out. What if other family or families that have had similar experiences accepted it like that and just took away their dead persons away like that for burial? So, that is all I can say. I mind my own business.”
Another person, who introduced himself as Abiola Ayinla, stated: “I learnt that one person was left behind in the hospital on Sunday night by the family. I was told that the boy has problem with speaking. But he could write. What he saw and knew that night, he wrote it down on a sheet of paper for the police and Amotekun Corps. So, the police and Amotekun must be working on the information by now.”