Kidnappers invade UCTH, abduct 3 babies

Armed robbers, numbering 10, Sunday night invaded the paediatrics unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and stole three babies.

They also beat up nurses, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Health workers and patients said the armed robbers struck unmasked, brandishing guns.

The robbers had free access to the maternity section, going from one bed to another to pick babies.

The Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa Mohammed, said he could not speak on the incident because he was yet to return to Calabar.

Calls to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Thomas Agan, were not answered.

A similar incident was said to have happened at the same hospital in the past.

Health workers were still discussing the incident yesterday, decrying that since the past few months, all the security firms and regular policemen had withdrawn their services over non-payment by the management of the hospital.

One of the nurses narrated: “Yesterday (Sunday) night, several armed robbers had access to this (paediatric) unit. They came with guns and matchetes. They beat up my colleagues and nursing mothers. They took away some babies and money from the patients and nursing mothers.

“The security in this hospital has been very porous. Lives of patients, nurses and doctors are at risk. There is nowhere in this hospital that is safe. There is so much stealing. Visitors are no longer controlled. People troop into the wards without check and control. Many including thieves come in the name of being patients’ relatives “, she said.

A nursing mother, who identified herself as Mrs Helen Eteng, said the incident “happened under 10 minutes, and we were forced to lie down and close their eyes.”