The Family members of doctor David Oguntuase, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Universal Medical Clinic in Akure, Ondo state capital have alleged a foul play in his death.
Late Oguntuase was found dead in his clinic at Oke Ibukun Street, off Araromi quarters in the capital city of the state on Thursday- Christmas day after a fire engulfed the building.
Nearby residents had told SaharaReporters that the fire began around 12:30 a.m. when Dr. Oguntuase was apparently asleep at his medical facility, a specialist clinic for children.
They also disclosed that the inferno caused the death of the late medical practitioner and head of Pediatrics at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo.
But on Saturday, the deceased elder brother, Ben Oguntuase claimed that his younger brother was murdered in cold-blood.
Mr. Ben said, “We have visited the clinic and what we saw was a gory scene, neatly orchestrated by his assassins [arsonists]. I can authoritatively tell you that my brother was brutally attacked in that clinic, and they carried his body to the backyard room of the two bed-room flat, where they left him face down. The arsonists severed his hands and legs before settling his body and the whole building on fire with petrol.”
He added, “If truly my brother died as a result of the fire what happened to his hand that was mutilated. We the family members suspected a foul play and we shall purse this case till we get justice”, he told a correspondent of Saharareporters in Akure on the phone.
Ben stressed, “If you had visited the clinic you would noticed that its walls were stained with blood that shows the late doctor was dragged and attacked in the backyard room of the flat before he was set on fire by this heatless persons”.
Furthering his claims, he said “He (David) has no grudges with anyone in the family and that there was a big plot in the murder of Dr. David” stating that since the inferno didn’t raised to other building closed to the clinic, then “the job was carried out professionally by his arsonists.”
Saharareporters correspondent visited the and contacted one of the community leader Mr. Olabode Ademusimi, who said the incident, was still a “miserable” to members of the area.
“We are still living in shock over the incident because it has never happened here before, imagine on Christmas day. We were clouded by tragedy; no one was able to celebrate the yuletide happily because of the incident.”
Mr. Ademusimi added, “Somebody must be behind this, can’t you see the way the clinic was burnt, with the roof caving in badly. Everything inside was burnt beyond recognition. We were all making frantic effort to quenched the fire so that it won’t spread to other buildings not even know the doctor was inside the flat”, he said.
Our correspondent also contacted the Spokesperson of the Nigeria Police in Ondo State, Wole Ogodo on this development but said the command is still busy unraveling the circumstances behind the death of the late medical doctor.
Ogodo said the family of the deceased has not come forward with substantive evidence of the latest allegations adding that "an autopsy" would be carried out on the body of the doctor and made public.
See full statement below:
“In the night of December 24/25 2014 when all men of goodwill were celebrating the season of rebirth and renewal of mankind, a group of murderers, assassins and arsonists were sponsored and contracted to most brutally assassinate an innocent person who was doing no more than giving to humanity the benefits of his professional training. Dr. David Akintayo Oguntuase, a Consultant Pediatrician and Head of Pediatrics at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo was brutally murdered by assassins/arsonists, leaving behind a most gory sight.
“The picture is the tragic remain left behind by the assassins who obviously took their time to set the body ablaze after killing him. Evidently, they shot him in the main clinic area and carried his body to the room in the back area where they left him face down. Not done, they severed his hands and legs before proceeding to douse the body with petrol. The rest of the building on the inside was sprinkled with petrol before it was all set ablaze. It obviously was an inferno that raged leading the building to implode as the roof caved inward. Interestingly, the neighbouring buildings were not affected. No doubt this was a most professional job that was obviously very carefully contracted and crafted.
“The Oguntuase family is aware of some running issues between David and the MD of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo. Some six weeks ago, on the trumped up, very false, baseless and malicious allegation by Dr. Olufemi Omotoso that David and some others in the FMC were planning to kill him, David was arrested by the Police in Owo where, upon investigation, the falsity of the allegation was established. We are aware that this same MD has been a regular guest of the ICPC and very recently, EFCC was granted leave to arrest and prosecute this same man.
“The witch cried yesterday, the child died today! Only in this case, it has even more obviously gone beyond mere speculation into the realm of reality as to where the Police should focus their searchlight to unearth the criminals and their sponsor.
“Some ill-informed commentators and reporters are hastily coming up with some spurious speculations over this tragedy. Some have suggested that it was as a result of an inferno, which was caused by gas explosion! Some even claimed it was suicide! Haba! For us in the family this even goes further to confirm the reality of a carefully scripted assassination plot with arrangements in place to deal with scenarios that may emerge afterwards. However, there is enough trace and evidence left in their trail to follow up on the source of this dastardly crime. After all, there is really no perfect crime!
“For the record, David did NOT commit suicide and there was NO gas explosion! He was murdered in cold blood in a most wicked manner, dismembered and then set ablaze. There is enough evidence at the crime scene to assist the investigative authorities.
“While thanking members of the Nigerian Medical Association, who David Akintayo Oguntuase faithfully served in various capacities, for sharing our grief and their solidarity with the family, we call on the Police authorities to do the needful in investigating this matter. The cruelty of the act should be enough to gear the Police to get to the bottom. Terrorists who are the bane of the nation today are no more wicked and evil than these hired assassins have demonstrated.
“We also would in the meantime, thank His Excellency Dr. Olusegun Mimiko whose officials have paid solidarity visits to the family. We sincerely hope that he will sustain personal interest in unraveling this crime if only in tribute to the deceased prior association with him. Please this crime must NOT go unresolved. You don’t callously make a charcoal or suya of another human being and expect to get away scot-free. Such wicked act must not go unpunished.”
Singed by Ben Oguntuase.