Tensions flared at Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin on Monday as personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS) clashed with private guards and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers.
The incident allegedly stemmed from a perceived unprofessional response by medical personnel when the DSS officials brought in a colleague who had collapsed during a meeting.
According to an official from the DSS, the hospital’s response was deemed inadequate, leading to a confrontation.
The situation escalated to the point where police from the Oba Market Police Station and the Chief Security Officer from the Government House had to intervene to restore order.
Amid the pandemonium, several individuals, including private security guards and female NSCDC personnel, sustained injuries.
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The DSS official provided their account, stating, “When you go to the hospital, courtesy demands that you bring the patient down and attend to him or her; at least show commitment, but right in the car, they said they cannot carry him, and we have to carry him down ourselves.”
However, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. David Odiko, offered a different perspective.
He stated that the patient was promptly attended to by the doctor on duty, who confirmed the individual’s death.
Dr. Odiko explained that the DSS personnel refused to accept the diagnosis, leading to a disagreement.
The doctor recounted, “The diagnosis the doctor made was that he was brought in dead, and they said they were not going to take that, and they personally moved him into our facility and dropped him on the floor.”
Additionally, reports indicate that another group of personnel injured an NSCDC officer who was on duty.
The clash highlights the challenges in emergency response situations and the need for clear communication between security agencies and medical personnel during critical incidents.
Investigations are likely to unfold to determine the facts surrounding the confrontation.
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