There was Confusion as 58-year-old matron, Mrs Winnifred Alofoje, went missing last Friday April 7, shortly after she
called her daughter.
Punch reports that the family of Mrs Winnifred
Alofoje, were afraid she may have been abducted after she went missing
last Friday April 7.
Winnifred, a matron at Blue Sky Hospital,
Egbeda, Lagos state, was said to have left her house in Hand of Fire
City, Igando, at about 9am, for Nurse and Midwifery Council in Yaba to
renew her medical licence.
However, her name was said to be missing in a register for people who visited the centre for licences on that day.
At about 12pm that Friday, Winnifred had reportedly called her ailing daughter on the telephone to know how she was faring.
The
woman’s son, Itua Alofoye, according to Punch, said that he was
notified about her disappearance in the night when his father and sister
did not hear from her.
Itua said he visited the centre on Saturday April 8, but could not verify whether she got to the place.
He explained that further efforts to locate her had been futile, adding that she might have been abducted.
He said: “She works with Blue
Sky Hospital in Egbeda. Her medical licence expired and she went to the
centre to renew it. My sister, Onor, said she spoke with her around
12.45pm on Friday. She just asked about her (Onor’s) health. Since then,
her line has been switched off.
“I
went to the centre on Saturday, but was unable to meet with any
official. I went back today (Monday; they checked the register to know
whether she actually came to the centre. Her name was not in the
register.
“The family moved
into Igando on Wednesday, but I don’t live with them. We learnt there
was an accident in the Maryland area on Friday, and we were told to go
to the Gbagada General Hospital. But she was not there.
"We also went to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
“We
reported at the Igando Police Station and the police collected all her
details. She has been practising as a nurse for over 30 years now.
Nobody has contacted us about her whereabouts, but I have a feeling she
was abducted.”
The Chief Medical
Director, Blue Sky Hospital, Dr Femi Olofinshawo, said the matron had
gone to the centre for the licence renewal the previous week but could
not obtain it due to insufficient funds.
He said: “I was told on Saturday
morning that she was missing and I advised her family to check some
hospitals because I learnt there was an accident in Maryland.
“She
didn’t come to work at all. She took permission to go to renew her
licence and the permission was granted. She was not supposed to spend
more than five minutes at the centre because she had already filled the
necessary forms the first time she went there. She was supposed to make
the payment and get the licence.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, promised to get back to our
correspondent with comments on the incident.
He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.