Dare devil armed robbers who attacked the premises of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, have been accused of stealing three new born babies from the pediatric ward of the hospital.
According to Punch. the robbers who were about 10 in number, invaded the premises on Sunday night, November 25th and carried out their attack, with no mask on. They reportedly moved from bed to bed to pick up babies. They beat up the hospital staff and also attacked pregnant women in the pediatric ward. They also stole phones and cash from people in the ward.
A nurse in the hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity, said
“Sunday night, several armed robbers gained access to this (paediatric) unit. They came with guns and machetes. They beat up my colleagues and some nursing mothers. They took away some babies and money from the patients and nursing mothers. The security in this hospital has been very porous.
Lives of patients, nurses and doctors are at risk. There is nowhere in this hospital that is safe. There is so much stealing going on. Visitors are no longer controlled. People troop into the wards without any check. Many, including thieves, come in the guise of being patients’ relatives. Hospital properties are stolen frequently, while electricity supply is a big challenge in the hospital, because the diesel and generator parts are stolen frequently by the workers and armed robbers.”
The nurses said security in the hospital has been porous for months as the private security firm employed by the Hospital management, had withdrawn their services over non-payment of salaries.When contacted, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Thomas Agan, denied that the incident happened in the hospital.
The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, said he could not speak on the incident because he was out of Calabar.
