Controversy has surrounded the death of a staff of the FCT High Court, Luka Avong, as the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) claimed the late Avong died due to complications as a result of growth in his abdomen, contrary to covid-19 claim by Maitama General Hospital.
According to a statement signed by the Union’s Chairman, Comrade AbdulRazak Yusuf, and made available to our correspondent, the executives of the union took it upon itself to investigate the matter.
Yusuf said weeks before Avong’s death, he complained of abdominal pain to which he visited a private hospital where he was examined and advised to go for a scan.
He said the deceased was able to get a scan and from the result that was made available to the union by his family members, it showed that he actually had a growth (mass) below his liver and parts of his abdomen.
The chairman said the doctor advised him to do a CT Scan and also recommended a surgery for him.
He noted that he was also referred to another hospital for further assessment and was then advised to get a CT Scan for clarity and confirmation, Mr. Luka then decided to approach Maitama Hospital where he had his NHIS knowing that both the Scan and Surgery might overwhelm him financially.
The statement reads in part, “Pastor as he was popularly called died at Maitama General Hospital on his second visit following an unsuccessful first outing on 4th June, 2020, it is on record that he was in severe abdominal pain the day he passed away in the hospital but he was not attended to, shortly after he slumped and a crowd gathered the hospital immediately took him in but unfortunately this was too late.
“Our investigation is still trying to unravel how this was twisted and concluded to be a Covid 19 death, as Mr. Luka did not show any sign of the Corona Virus. The body has since been buried, but we are convinced that this was done as a cover up, as no sample was taken for Corona Virus test either by the hospital or NCDC and they announced that he died of COVID-19.
“One can only pray for the soul of the departed at this point, it could be seen as bad luck to fall ill during this period but when negligence and recklessness are combined the outcome will always be fatal.”
He added that until his death, he was a staff of the Process Unit, Litigation Department of the FCT High Court, adding that the news broke out on the 5th June, 2020 of the sudden death of Mr. Luka Avong at the Maitama District Hospital which the Hospital and the NCDC assumed was caused by Covid 19 that led to several Covid 19 protocols and was never the case.
“This did not just raise some suspicion and doubt towards the cause of death but it also felt really unfair to the family and loved ones who were never given the opportunity to offer a befitting burial or the least get some closure from saying a final good bye to him,” he added.
