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. READ ALSO:
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“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.”
