There was shock in the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba Abeokuta, in Ogun State as a patient, identified as Saba Elizabeth fled due to her inability to pay her medical bills.
It was gathered that the police is on the trail of the fleeing patient, who received treatment for an undisclosed ailment at the medical centre.
Elizabeth, who ought to have been discharged on November 16, 2023, reportedly absconded from the medical facility on Saturday.
She was said to have been admitted to the gynecology ward of the medical centre on November 11, 2023.
However, she could not leave the hospital due to her inability to fulfill her financial obligation to the medical centre.
Knowing that she could no longer meet up with her medical bills, she was said to have lied to staff members of the hospital that she wanted to buy food at a nearby store but never returned to the hospital.
Furthermore, it was learnt that when all efforts to locate Elizabeth failed, the Chief Security Officer of the medical centre, Akpoji Joshua, reported the incident to the Kemta Police Division on Sunday.
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Omolola Odutola, disclosed that the police in Kemta Division were helping the hospital locate the patient.
“We are investigating to unravel her whereabouts through her family members,” she simply stated.
In a separate development, a businessman, Muhammad Inuwa on Wednesday petitioned an upper Shari’a Court sitting in Tudun Wada, Kaduna, to help him reclaim N2.6 million naira rent from one Fatima Muhammad.
The complainant told the court that he sold a house to the defendant in 2018 for N28 million, with a 1.8 million deposit.
“We agreed that she should pay the balance of 26.2 in installments by paying N750,000 yearly rent until she finished paying.
“But since 2018, she has not paid for the rent and later told me that she was no longer interested in buying the house,” he said
He asked the court to order the defendant to return his house and three years and six months’ rent.
The defendant, through her counsel, Zaid Umar, disputed the allegation.
Malam Iliyasus Umar, the judge, adjourned the case till January 11 to allow the complainant to present his witnesses.