Vandals attack Nigerian hospital, steal equipment

The 80-bed Mother and Child Specialist Hospital in Pakiotan, Ogbomoso, has been vandalized, sparking outrage among residents and community leaders.

The facility, constructed by the Federal Government as an urban health centre, was stocked with essential medical equipment, beds, medicines, and laboratory supplies. It was developed under the supervision of former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.

The incident has triggered anger among community leaders and residents, who are now worried about the safety of healthcare services in the area.

It was officially opened on 27 May 2023 and handed over to the Federal Ministry of Health through the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan.

While addressing journalists at the hospital site, the Onipakiotan of Pakiotan, Oba James Oyetunji Ojo, condemned the vandalism, describing it as “economic subversion” that harmed the community development.

“The destruction of this vital infrastructure is a significant concern for our community and necessitates urgent and coordinated action.”

“We must ensure that those responsible for vandalising public property are held accountable. As the saying goes, offenders must be brought to book, or the book brought to them,” the monarch asserted.

Oba Ojo noted that prior to the commissioning, some cables had already been vandalised and were replaced by Mr Sunday Dare.

“Since the handover, however, there has been no progress. We have no access to the facility and no security in place. Recently, we observed signs of intrusion.”

“When one of Hon. Dare’s aides joined us for an inspection, we were horrified to find that all the cables, 150 solar batteries, electrical appliances, ceiling fans, and other valuable items had been stripped away,” he lamented.

The monarch pointed out that the community donated the land for the hospital, comprising eight plots, to improve maternal and child healthcare access for those in Ogbomoso and nearby areas. Yet, the facility has remained dormant for over a year since its commissioning.

He urged UCH and the Ministry of Health to either start operations immediately or transfer management of the hospital to the community, saying, “Had the hospital been operational, such incidents would not have occurred.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government, Ogunlade Gbadegesin, shared his disappointment, recalling that the management of UCH had visited in September 2024 and promised to initiate operations in October, a promise that remained unfulfilled.

“Numerous valuable medical items have been stolen, and others are in jeopardy. We will hire security personnel to protect what is left until the hospital is finally operational,” he affirmed.

Similarly, an aide to the former minister, Ademola Olawale, added that he has repeatedly urged UCH to commence operations, but they continued to offer excuses and unfulfilled commitments.