STOP killing us! Stop robbing us! Stop stabbing us! Stop beating us!
These were the chanting of protest that followed the death of Urueye Oluwanifise Stephen, a young doctor undergoing his housemanship job at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State.
The death of Stephen on Friday has resulted to social media protest against the inadequate security provision around the LUTH area of Idi-Araba in Lagos State.
Stephen studied Medicine and Surgery from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). He got his admission in 2012/2013 academic session with the JAMB registration number of 29002364GF. While he was inducted into the medical profession in December, 2018, Stephen had his convocation ceremony on Wednesday, April 3 from UNILAG.
Stephen during his induction ceremony in December posted on facebook his pictures where he was full of smile with the caption: “after a journey of seven years, I give God all the glory. Dr. Urueye Stephen (mb,bs Lagos)”
But he was reportedly robbed and stabbed late on Thursday night, a day after he officially graduated from UNILAG, by some hoodlums in the area of Idi-Araba where the Lagos teaching hospital is situated. The hoodlums identified as armed robbers were reported to have stabbed him before carting away his properties found on him.
After he was stabbed, Stephen struggled to get to the hospital gate before collapsing, according to report. But all efforts to save him at the hospital after being found was futile. He could not survive the stab wounds as he died early on Friday morning. It was reported that Stephen from Delta State was the only son of his widowed mother.
Students and doctors from LUTH currently protesting said they need more security. The protest started at the LUTH gate this morning. According to some videos of the protest posted on Twitter, the doctors said they need justice for Stephen by providing more security around the hospital environment.
They complained of the high rate of insecurities around Mushin and Idi Araba where the hospital is located. Reports on Facebook and Twitter stated that students and doctors have complained severally to the management of the hospital as regards growing robbery attacks in the area.
Adeyeye Olorunfemi, who is a student of UNILAG posted on his Facebook wall on Friday how Stephen’s dream of saving lives was cut short.
“We lost this young Doctor who wants to save lives to insecurity. After 8 years of struggle in the jungle called Nigeria,” he lamented. “Don’t wish that this soul rests in peace. Do you think this troubled soul from Nigeria can rest?”
Medical students have always complained about the frequent robbery attacks around and on the College of Medicine, Idi-Araba Campus, Olorunfemi said.
A Twitter user, Julie who recognised herself as a medical student said the teaching hospital is unsafe.
“As a medical student, LUTH is unsafe: from the hostel, to robberies, to the roads and now killing. We deserve more, better security and living conditions,” she tweeted.
A Radiologist, Omodele Olowoyeye, also tweeted that the hospital environment should be sanitised. She added that the area boys, miscreants and hoodlums in the area should be “dislodged”.
A user named as Kirss Ray wrote that he, together with his friend, had an experience with some armed robbers at the Idi-Araba area where they could have been possibly killed in 2010.
“We were behind LUTH hoping someone somewhere would save us,” he tweeted. “Idi-Araba is really rough!”
Tiwaloluwa Ade, a doctor, also tweeted that she was robbed in her room when she was working as a House officer in LUTH. “LUTH needs to do better, she wrote. “A mother has lost her son too early, how are you going to comfort her?”
“They did not only rob you (Stephen) but a knife into your chest in the hospital you were saving lives as a house officer.”
Stephen Urueye in a medical outreach in Lagos during the 2019 World Kidney Day on March 14.