Hospital workers protest colleague’s murder in Enugu

SCORES of members of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives and Health Workers of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, on Friday, staged a peaceful protest over the brutal killing of their colleague, Mrs Maria Amadi, demanding that her assassins be brought to book.

The angry staff of the Hospital who carried placards with various inscriptions which read: ‘We demand safety of lives in FNHE;’ ‘We need speedy investigation;’ ‘We demand government to look into the crisis in FNHE;’ ‘Killers of Dr Maria Amadi have murdered their sleep,’ among others,” marched to the Police headquarters and the Government House, chanting solidarity songs.

According to health workers, there is an urgent need for relevant authorities to bring to justice the killers of their colleague who was allegedly murdered by unknown gunmen in front of her house on March 21, 2019.

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Tribune Online recalled that the deceased who was until her death the Head of Nursing Services, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu and a mother-of-two, was allegedly shot dead on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at about 4pm in front of her house at Federal Housing Estate, Enugu, by suspected assassins that were said to have trailed her from her office.

Speaking to the workers at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital before embarking on the protest, state chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Viginus Nwobodo, charged the Police to ensure that Amadi’s killers do not go scot-free.

“The killers of Mrs Amadi can only run now but cannot escape justice. I know our Police can catch them if only they want to do their job,” the labour leader stated.

In a protest letter to the Acting Inspector General of Police through the State Commissioner of Police, the Chairman of NANNNM, Ezekiel Omeh and Secretary, Phyllis Uzokwe, respectively, called for an urgent investigation of the killing.

The Union Leaders said that nurses and other health workers in the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital and the entire nurses in the state were aggrieved and afraid to go about their lawful duties for fear of being the next victim.