By: Adesoji Omosebi
The nurse who treated Senator Isiaka Adeleke last before his death Mr. Alfred Aderibigbe said he knew his patient for over 20 years through one of his child who had a convulsion that he successfully treated. Ever since then he had been close to DeGov and treating him from time to time anytime his Doctor recommended injection for him. He graduated from School of Nursing, Osogbo in 1992 and had 25 years of working experience as a Registered Nurse on Level 14 step 3.
He could not testify the previous day because he could not communicate fluently in English language. He testified in Yoruba language throughout with an interpreter provided by the Coroner.
He was asked if the late Senator always called him to Abuja anytime he needs him. He said no, “he has nurses in Abuja and Lagos that he did not know but always told him when he was injected.”
Asked again if he knew any major challenges Senator Adeleke faced, he said “yes, he was hypertensive and had gout.” challenges.”(Inflammatory joint infections).
DeGov, as he is fondly called “was once a chain smoker but stopped smoking after I showed him a video clip between 2009/2010 and he ordered all packs of cigarettes be destroyed by his boys but he drinks alcohol like Saint Remmy’s that I know. I always advised him to have time to rest. He does not sleep, he always attend to visitors in his country home.”
He narrated what happened on Sunday morning the day the Senator died,
Question: What happened on April 23, 2017?
Nurse Aderibigbe: I was at home sleeping when some people banged my gate, meanwhile I left my phone in the parlour that night. As I opened my gate and I saw people with a company vehicle and I was told DeGov said I should come about 4am. The asked me to check my phone and I went back home to pick my phone only to see 16 missed calls from DeGov and Dipo Fagborode. I called him and Dipo picked it. DeGov spoke with me that his leg was paining him and I should bring his injections. When I got there he was crying of pains and said he has been calling me. He asked for the injection and I brought it out because he knew it all. I saw some oral drugs which he must have used in the presence of Dipo. He told me he would have met him alive if he had not used the oral drugs. He started mentioning the drugs one by one.
On 17th April, 2017 he gave me the injections for keep and showed me the prescriptions that was given to him. I asked him to give me the prescriptions. He said he will not give it to me.
Question: Who wrote the prescription?
Nurse Aderibigbe: I don’t know but saw Hospital, Lagos on it. I checked his blood pressure it was 130/80, Respiration 26bm, Pulse 86, temperature 37.4. I looked for his vein in 4 places no success. He chose where to inject, he said one nurse did it in the USA and it was better. I tried it and I got it.
Nurse Aderibigbe said he applied the drip which was dropping little by little. He said he was with the DeGov from 4.33am to 7.50am after which he went to the church to make arrangements for Sunday school and came back at 9.30am while Dipo was there with him.
“…when I opened the door I discovered he {DE Gov} was still where I left him. When I called him “De Gov” he did not raise his hand as usual, I gave him “cardiac massage” to revive him and I discovered he was not breathing. I and Dipo shouted and rushed to carry Escalade/Pilot I followed them with my car.
“I did not enter same vehicle with the De Gov to Biket but I assumed he was dead. He was examined by Dr. Adenle at Biket Hospital and confirmed Dead on Arrival. Dupe, sister to DeGov asked what did I used, I told her Analgin and valium. She asked why I did not call her. She started crying and said she warned me not to treat De Gov again. It was like I should die. As I was thinking of committing suicide Dipo went to bring the drugs…I asked Dipo why he was going in with the drugs. He entered into the hospital. I was not allowed in.
They were just shouting overdose from inside and shouting “eleyi enikan tan?” (These drugs for only one person?} “They managed to lie De Gov in the Escalade. I was with police escorts when they took the corpse to Ede for burial.
I followed the police to Ede, as we got to Owode people have started burning cars. The police warned me not to proceed that my life was in danger I ignored him but no chance to move further we turned back to Abere and a police called that they have taken his corpse to LAUTECH for post-mortem. Where I seated with a policeman, we heard some boys saying they will burn my house that I killed him. The policeman went to warn them that he has snapped them should they carry out their threat they will be in trouble. It was then I realised that “abobaku mi ti roran niyen” (I am in trouble}.”
He said; “I spent six days in detention before his lawyer bailed me on May 2, 2017; I could no longer go to Ede and all my family members have evacuated my house.”
When he was under cross examination, a counsel asked him; “with your dressing and composure, it was like you did not look like somebody who has just lost a long term friend?”
He said; “you are just seeing me, you don’t know what I am facing, I dressed like this because the whole world is watching me”. He broke down and started crying. It took the interpreter some minutes to comfort him and lift him up.
He said could not go to his house because the people believed he killed De Gov. He admitted that taking of alcohol and valium did not go together. He was asked if he knew that alcohol and steroids does not go together. He said; “I don’t know since I was not the one responsible for his drunkenness.”
The Pathologist said on examination the previous day that he perceived De Gov was drunk but Nurse Aderibigbe said his nose could not perceive anything because not everybody has the gift of smelling.
From the evidences given at the Coroner so far, it shows there was nothing like Senator Isiaka Adeleke was poisoned. It has to do with negligence on the part of the nurse that treated the Senator and the banned injection used on him in addition to the oral drugs he used before the arrival of the nurse which the nurse did not confirm before injecting him with valium and analgin injections.
www.sojworld.com © May 2017.
Leave a Reply