How Anambra Police team arrested, tortured Medical doctor for demanding payment after treating their colleague
…Demands immediate arrest, investigation, prosecution of culprit and his collaborators
Joseph Irikefe
The Anambra branch of the Nigerian Medical Association has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, demanding immediate arrest, suspension, speedy investigation, trial and appropriate sanctioning of the Corporal Okona Stephen Ifeanyi of Nigerian Police Area Command Nnewi.
According to them, Corporal Okona and his collaborators policemen should be made to face the full weight of the law for the kidnap, torture, attempted extortion, mental assault and threat to life of our member, Dr. Ofodile Ekweogwu, a Consultant Neurosurgeon, managed a patient, Corporal Okona in a private facility in Nnewi when he was involved in a road traffic accident and sustained head injury in January 2024.
The association in the statement dated March 17, 2024 and signed by Dr. Jane Ezeonu Dr. Ifeanaeme Frank, Chairman and Secretary respectively, noted that their petition to the IGP was sequel to behavior of one Corporal Okona who sustained a after a road accident in January 2024.
According to them, immediately after the accident, the said Corporal Okona was taken to a hospital from where he was referred to Eastern Specialist Hospital Nnewi after some days at another hospital where he was taken to after the accident due to persistent loss of consciousness.
Dr Ekweogwu was invited and he gave Neurosurgery care to Corporal Okona, who fully recovered and was eventually discharged
”His medical bill was clearly itemized and given to him.
“He requested for a rebate and it was given to him.
“He absconded from the hospital by scaling the perimeter fence but later returned, paid part of the bills but was 17th March, 2024 allowed home on self recognition to complete the balance afterwards.
“Corporal Okona, rather than pay the balance of his bills, resorted to use intimidation to escape his debt. Firstly, he came with armed policemen to the consulting room of Dr Ekweogwu in February 2024, to summon him without an official invitation to Nnewi Area Command of Nigerian Police Force.
“The Area Commander on learning about the case, admonished Corporal Okona and asked him to pay his outstanding bills for medical services given to him. Still not satisfied, on Saturday 16th March 2024, in connivance with some policemen from Anambra SCID, they trailed Dr Ekweogwu as he was leaving his clinic in Nnewi in the afternoon, blocked him with a Toyota SUV (not an Official/branded Police vehicle) with 4 armed men in mufti identifying themselves as policemen from SCID, grabbed him and whisked him away in the boot of the vehicle.
“This is without any prior invitation. He was able to place a call to his wife to alert her of his situation before his phone was taken from him and switched off.
“Dr Ekweogwu identified one of the occupants of the vehicle as Corporal Okona he had treated.
While in transit for over 3 hours driving around different parts of the state, Dr Ekweogwu was being threatened to “settle with Corporal Okona before getting to their office, which he refused.
“Upon their arrival at SCID, in the presence of the Chairman of Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria, NAUTH Nnewi Chapter who had arrived earlier, Dr Ekweogwu was made to write a statement in response to a document of petition he was shown there.
“After which they drove him down to Nnewi at night, to get evidence of documentation of care he rendered to Corporal Okona.
“After unrestrained access to all they asked for at the hospital, they invited the MD of the hospital, Prof. Evaristus Afiadigwe, to honor an appointment in the next 3 days at their office but insisted on going back to Awka with Dr Ekweogwu and detaining him there, refusing to release him on self recognition.
“Following frantic calls from various leaders of our Association who came to the hospital, the men reluctantly released Dr Ekweogwu late into the night at the hospital in Nnewi to the NMA leaders, on the order of the Commissioner of Police Anambra State, who was eventually reached about the incident.
“Before leaving after releasing Dr Ekweogwu, Corporal Okona threatened Dr Ekweogwu verbally that he will use other means to get back at him, if the matter isn’t handled to his satisfaction by Nigerian Police.”
They said that the action of the culprits show that they are not true professionals and do not represent the character of the Nigerian Police and do not deserve to be associated with a noble institution like that.
They demanded an undertaking of full responsibility for safety of the victim-our colleague, signed by the culprit, who upon realizing the failure of their intended victimization following the positive intervention of their superiors, and verbally threatened the life of our colleague that he will use other means to get back at him.
The said that should anything happen to our colleague, his family or close associates; we shall hold the culprit and the Nigerian Police Force responsible.
They further gave a A 72-hour ultimatum to the IGP to ensure that their demand gets satisfactory response, “failure upon which we shall seek legal redress, may not guarantee industrial harmony and shall employ means to protect our members from any similar assaults from men of the Nigerian Police Force.”