#EndSARS: Doctor Tells Lagos Panel How His Hospital Treated Patients With Gunshot Wounds From Lekki Tollgate

Aranmolate Ayobami, the medical director of Grandville Trauma Centre, has told the Lagos Judicial Panel that the hospital treated 15 patients who suffered gunshot injuries during the October 20, 2020, Lekki shooting incident, according to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ayobami, who is also a surgeon at the hospital, said a total number of 15 patients presented at the facility, were all transferred from other hospitals in Lagos.

Mr Ayobami appeared before the panel on Saturday based on a summons issued to Grandville Trauma Centre to give account of their encounter with protesters from the Lekki incident.

His testimony at the panel followed the evidence given by a witness of the Lekki Shooting incident, Sarah Ibrahim, who said “there were many casualties and hospitals were overwhelmed with injured victims”.

“We had a total number of 15 patients, four referrals from Vedic life Healthcare, seven referrals from Reddington hospital and two from Doreen hospital,” he said. He did not expatiate on the outstanding two patients.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at Redington Hospital, Babajide Lawson, told the panel that their facilities “were overwhelmed on the night of the Lekki Shooting incident.”

Explaining the role that Grandville centre played in treating victims, Mr Ayobami said the staff of the hospital also donated blood for one of the victims who needed blood.

He said although the government promised to pay the medical bills, the hospital and “concerned members of the public shouldered the medical bills of the victims treated”.

Mr Ayobami said the hospital recorded no deaths as all the 15 patients brought in were subsequently discharged.

He also gave names and details of the conditions of the patients treated, as requested by the chairperson of the panel, Doris Okuwobi.

Some of the cases mentioned are as follows: Ikwrogbo Theophilus, 38 (gunshot injury to the lower limb, had an x-fix; metal objects attached to the broken bones); Adamu Hassan Yinusa, 27 (gunshot injury to the elbow bone and had x-fix as well; and Nicholas Okpe, 43 (gunshot injury to the chest, a chest tube was passed into the lungs to allow for air and blood and was transferred to LASUTH for further care).

Others

Ogbonna Emmanuel, 20 (gunshot injury to the thigh and had a broken femur); Olalekan Faleye, 23 (gunshot injury to the leg; taken in for vascular ligation to save his life; took five pints of blood and referred to Igbobi where he had amputation of the limb); Joshua James, 32 (gunshot injury to the left thigh, had multiple dressings); and Patric Okolo, 22 (gunshot injury to the right forearm).

During cross-examination, Olumide Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, representing some #EndSARS victims, asked who paid the hospital bills.

Mr Ayobami said the hospital and “members of the public” handled the bills.

“While the process was going on, we were informed that some Nigerians were involved. Some members of the public volunteered to send some money to pay the bills.

“The Lagos State government actually promised to pay, because during the protest, the Ministry of Health was in communication with us.

“I recall one of the patients, the one that had amputation, we needed blood and we called their attention that we needed two pints. They were able to bring one pint of blood and some of my staff actually donated about two pints of blood also,” Mr Ayobami said.

Meanwhile, Gbajumo Kehinde, Director, Hospital Administration and Human Resources of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), also appeared before the panel.

Mr Kehinde, who appeared following a summons, tendered some documents to the panel. The content of the documents is yet to be ascertained.

Mrs Okuwobi, a retired judge heading the panel, adjourned the matter till May 15 for further hearing.