The management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has debunked allegations that its premises were being used as armoury by the Yoruba Nation agitators.
The hospital through its Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmi Adetuyibi, in a statement in Ibadan on Tuesday, reiterated its commitment to health care delivery, adding that it would not engage in any unlawful dealings.
Last Saturday, separatist Yoruba Nation agitators invaded the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
According to reports, the agitators, donning army camouflage and armed with rifles, attempted to hoist their flag on the premises of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
The attempt was foiled by security agencies with 21 of the agitators arrested.
A video of how the police arrested some of the agitators on the premises of the UCH also went viral on social media fuelling insinuations that the suspects have their armoury somewhere on the hospital premises.
However, the spokesman for the hospital clarified that six of the agitators, while fleeing from the police scaled the fence of the North-West Campus Area of the hospital.
Also, the management of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo State, on Tuesday, denied having any of its lecturers among the arrested Yoruba Nation agitators.
One of the arrested agitators, Alabi Ogundeji, while being paraded by the police in Ibadan on Monday, had identified himself as a lecturer with the FCE.
Ogundeji, who gave his age as 55 years, also said he did not regret taking part in the government secretariat invasion.
However, the college, in a statement by its Registrar, J.A. Araoye, said, “The management of the college wishes to state that the said Alabi Ogundeji is not a lecturer in the college. For the avoidance of doubt, ‘Alabi Ogundeji’ is a strange name to the college as no person with such a name has ever been appointed by the college or has any direct or indirect employment relationship with the college.
“The Nigeria Police, all the other security agents and the general public are to please, note.”
Punch/Esther Samuel
