The management of Mainland Hospital, Lagos, says it has received a directive from the state Ministry of Health not to release co
The management of Mainland Hospital, Lagos, says it has received a directive from the state Ministry of Health not to release corpses of suspected #ENDSARS protesters.
The Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Mrs. Mojisola Dada, via a public announcement, directed relatives who had lost loved ones between October 19th and 27th to visit the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital to identify and claim bodies of their loved ones.
The #ENDSARS protests had lasted between October 7th and 20th in Lagos and several other states of the federation. While the protests lasted, relations, friends and associates of missing persons claimed their relations had either been killed or held incommunicado by security agents.
Of particular concern was the Lekki toll gate shooting of Tuesday, October 20, where peaceful #ENDSARS protesters were shot at by security agents, leading to yet-to-be ascertained number of casualties. The shooting incident had attracted national and international outcry, with the Lagos State and Federal governments being urged to unravel the identity of the shooters and who deployed them.
The public notice by the Lagos State coroner did not, however, state if the bodies that had been scheduled for release also included those of persons who died during the #EndSARS protest.
“If an individual was part of the #ENDSARS protest, we cannot identify or do anything about it for now. But if the body was brought before or after the protest, I could pass the picture to see if morticians had come across the face in the mortuary. Relatives can come when the government lifts the ban on such corpses. We are just waiting for the announcement to be made before we start releasing those bodies to the families,” a mortuary attendant, who refused to give his name, said.
Coroborating what the Medical Director of Mainland Hospital, Dr. Abimbola Bowale, he maintained what the mortuary attendant had said.
“It is only the commissioner (of health) or even Mr. Governor that can release the body to you, Sir. So, you will have to contact him,” he said, adding that the matter was at the level of commissioner and governor.
“It is not within my power. You will have to write to the honourable commissioner for permission before any corpse can be released. I hope you know that there is a pending injunction on all #ENDSARS-related cases? With that injunction, I am beginning to think it may take the court, not even the governor or commissioner, to grant such request. They may have to involve the ministry of justice now. It is now a legal issue,” he maintained.
Punch
