8th July, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
LASUTH MUST NOT EVICT AMPUTEE GIRL-CHILD VICTIM OF MOSQUE
COLLAPSE - MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has cried out
over the marching order given to Naeemat Lasisi, the 13 year old victim of the
collapsed mosque in Mushin, Lagos, whose two legs have been amputated. The
human rights organization appealed to the government of Lagos State whose
caterpillar pulled down the mosque to intervene.
The appeal was contained in a press statement
issued on Monday, 8th July, 2024, by the Executive Director of
MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
"Al-Mutmahinat Mosque located at Yusuf
Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin, came down forcefully on 28th May, 2024
when a caterpillar belonging to the Lagos State Government accidentally pulled
down its main pillar while people were praying inside. Two people died in the
accident while 15 others suffered various degrees of injuries. Among the
injured persons were 13 years old Naeemat Lasisi whose two legs have been
amputated.
"It will be recalled that MURIC has been
calling on the state government to take full responsibility. However, LASG has
remained silent to date on the issue. Meanwhile the General Hospital, Ikeja,
where the victim is being treated has demonstrated objection to MURIC's
agitation.
"An attempt made by the hospital to interview
the victim and her two parents on Friday, 5th July, 2024 led to the harassment
of Mr. Abdul Fatah Abiodun Lawal, the Media Assistant to MURIC's Executive
Director, within the premises of the hospital. His phone and identity card were
seized while he was detained by the hospital authorities for more than two
hours.
"The parents stood by the MURIC official and
insisted that he should be released because they were the ones who actually
invited him to cover the interview. The hospital authorities deleted the video
clip of the interview recorded by Mr. Lawal before releasing his telephone and
identity card.
"The nurses in the ward immediately told the
traumatized mother of the patient to take her daughter away from the hospital
because she had been 'discharged'. This threat was repeated this morning. This
is as a result of the parent’s refusal to support the manipulation of a
so-called press interview.
"MURIC
condemns this stick and carrot treatment of a girl-child whose legs have just
been amputated. This is an eviction, not a discharge. The least we can call it
is ‘premature discharge’.
"Even the insults and abuses hurled at her
parents are most abominable. It is callous, inhuman and unprofessional. Both
the patient and her parents have been exposed to unbearable psychological
trauma.
"We
denounce the attempt by the hospital authorities to organize a manipulated
interview where the underaged girl patient was expected to respond to questions
only 'as earlier instructed'. What the hospital authorities do not know is that
apart from the video clip which they forcefully deleted from the telephone of
the MURIC official, we have another audio clip which confirms attempted
manipulation.
"In conclusion and in view of the biased
position of LASUTH authorities, we appeal to the Executive Governor of Lagos
State, the Commissioner for Health, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Health, to intervene on behalf of the poor little girl.
“Naeemat
Lasisi's legs were amputated as a result of an accident caused by a caterpillar
belonging to the Lagos State Government. To that extent, the staff of
LASUTH should stop treating them like beggars, parasites and interlopers. The
insults and abuses must stop and the poor girl should not be evicted from her
bed.
"We appeal to all men of goodwill, all
parents in Lagos, all women who are mothers themselves, the press and all
members of the civil society (CSOs) to ensure that this poor girl-child is not
evicted and that she receives necessary medical attention including assurances
of government's sponsorship up to university level."
#LASG
#LASUTH
#AmputeeGirlChild
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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