Funsho Junaid
A medical doctor working at the Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos, has been abducted by gunmen.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the
victim, Funsho Junaid, who is a consultant gynaecologist, was kidnapped
at Livingstone Hospital, Adedayo Adedeji Street, Abaranje, Ikotun.
Our correspondent gathered that Junaid was attending to patients last Friday when three gunmen whisked him away.
It was learnt that one of the kidnappers
posed as a patient and while Junaid was attending to him, he pointed a
gun at the doctor.
An eyewitness, who craved anonymity
said, “Last week Tuesday, a patient came to see the doctor, we
registered him at the counter and he was given treatment. He was also
billed N5,500.
“He complained that the money was too
high, but the doctor said he could get medication elsewhere. On Friday
night, around 9pm, the same guy came back to renegotiate with the
doctor, but nurses denied him access.
“The guy left the hospital while another
guy came in. The second guy that came in said he wanted to see the
doctor so nurses registered him and gave him a new card.
“As the doctor was attending to him, he
brought out a gun. Suddenly, the patient that had left earlier came back
with a gun as well and ordered all the nurses to lie face down.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the assailants, who came in a Toyota car, forced the victim into the back seat and drove off.
It was learnt that the following day, the suspects contacted the victim’s wife and asked her to pay N20m to secure his release.
When our correspondent visited the
victim’s house, which is situated in the same compound with the
Livingstone Hospital, a crowd was seen coming in droves to commiserate
with his wife.
His wife was distraught and could not
talk with our correspondent. However, colleagues of the victim from the
Alimosho General Hospital, described him as a man who put the needs of
others before himself.
One of them said, “Dr Junaid is a very
hardworking man. He set up a private hospital in this area so that he
can attend to the needs of the poor.
“He is not the kind of person that puts money first. We hope that by God’s grace, he will be released soon.”
It was learnt that because the victim’s
house was also a Winners’ chapel fellowship centre, many from the church
members had been frequenting the house to say prayers.
It was learnt that the victim, who hails from Abeokuta in Ogun State, had two young children.
Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt that
kidnappings had risen in Lagos State in the past one month as more than
seven cases had been reported at various stations.
Sources told our correspondent that the cases being reported were only a fraction of the true number.
Police SitRep (Situation Reports) made
available to our correspondent showed that last week, three siblings
were kidnapped by one Iheanachor Collins at Iyana Iba.
It was learnt that the police were, however, able to rescue the victims and arrest the suspect.
It was learnt that one Anabel Ogwu was
also kidnapped at Omole Estate phase 2 in the Isheri area of the state,
while a ransome of N500,000 was demanded from the family.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said efforts were on to rescue the victim.
PUNCH
No comments:
Post a Comment