NIGERIA: LASUTH Mortuary Attendants Brutalise LEADERSHIP Photojournalist

BY OLAOLU OLADIPO AND FLORENCE UDOH/LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER

A photojournalist with LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka was on Thursday brutalized at the premises of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH).

Uwalaka was at the hospital to cover the release of corpses of victims of the recent ill-fated Dana Air crash by the management of the hospital when his assailants believed to be mortuary attendants pounced on him

The victim is currently on admission in the intensive unit of the hospital where he was hurriedly rushed by his colleagues when they noticed that he had been bleeding profusely.

When our correspondents visited the hospital in the evening, the victim was seen being attended to by staff with the commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Aderogba on hand to take charge.

According to Uwalaka “I came to LASUTH in the morning to cover the release of the corpses of victims of the DANA Air crash. Some vehicles were deliberately used to block the entrance to the mortuary to prevent access.

“From a distance, I took the pictures of the vehicles, suddenly I heard a voice behind me, saying, ‘show me your camera, show me your camera. What pictures are you taking. Suddenly, somebody came from behind and snatched the camera from me.”

The assailants numbering about four began to beat him mercilessly hitting him with their fists, sticks, bottles and other dangerous weapons, resulting serious bodily injuries especially to his face.

A colleague, Mr. Kola Olasupo told our correspondent that he witnessed the assault and stated that what he saw was a gory sight. “I was walking in front of Uwalaka, both of us were moving towards the Pathology side of the mortuary, suddenly, I heard a loud sound twice and quickly turned only to see two men using sticks to hit my friend, Uwalaka.

As I tried to ask them what the trouble was, two other men rushed out from the door and slapped him and hit his eyes. I quickly called on my other colleagues to assist when another one came out again with electric prodding device.” Olasupo said.

According to him, it was the last man who inflicted the most serious injuries to his face causing a serious damage to his left eyes, the other two hit him with broken bottle at the back of the head inflicting serious injuries.

“At that point, he slumped on the floor, lying in the pool of his blood before he was rush to the Area F police station few blocks away from the hospital.” Olasupo said.

According to him, the victim’s statement was obtained before he was advised to seek medical aid and he was rushed to the emergency unit where is currently recuperating.

He however lost some of his personal belongings to his assailants who took away his phone, with a PENTAX 30mm zoom lense camera.