Personnel of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State rescued a 40-year-old suspected conman, Bukola Adewale, from an irate mob who descended on him after he attempted to flee with money belonging to patients at the Adeoyo Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan. The suspect, who was taken into custody by the Amotekun Corps, had reportedly approached an elderly man, Chief Wahab Aiki Aloko, and a woman, feigning sympathy for their health conditions, and volunteered to run errands for them so that they would not be stressed. That gave him two potential victims.According to the Nigerian Tribune, Adewale had conned several patients in the past and escaped with their money, leaving the victims helpless in the hospitals. This time, however, believing that no one knew him, Adewale returned and attempted to perpetrate another act. He was said to have already taken the hospital card of the chief and was about to be given money by the woman who was with her sick child when he was noticed by a staff of the hospital.The second-in-command of Amotekun Corps in Oyo command, Mr Kazeem Babalola Akinro, confirmed the incident in a statement. “On Tuesday April 16, we had a call from one of the senior officials of Adeoyo Hospital, Yemetu, that they apprehended a suspected criminal,” he said. “Though the suspect initially denied committing an offence, immediately we started interrogating him, in addition to the evidences presented, he eventually confessed “What we learnt was that he would approach very sick patients who came to the hospital for medical attention and volunteer to help such with the processes they would need to go through to see a doctor “He would act as one of the hospital staff willing to help. He would collect their hospital cards and take them to the hospital pharmacy to know the cost of prescribed drugs and medical tests they would need to do.
“After that, he would go back to the weak patients and tell them of the costs. The patients, who would be relieved to have got help, would thank him profusely and hand over the money to him. However, that would be the last interaction with the patients as he would disappear with the money. “That was what he was about to do on that day when he was sighted by a hospital staff who recognised his face and remembered what he did before he disappeared for a long time. “During interrogation, he confessed that he collected N10,000 and N12,000 from two patients at the State Hospital, Adeoyo, Yemetu. He also confessed to collecting N40,000 from a patient at the State Hospital, Ring Road. “He did it once in the University College Hospital (UCH) but was caught and taken to Yemetu police station. He was thereafter banned from entering the premises. He returned to the crime on that Tuesday but was caught.” The chief, who is the leader of farmers in Ibadan North Local Government Area and the head of Baales in 11 Local Government Areas in Ibadan, spoke of how he almost became a victim. “My leg got swollen and I was in great discomfort. I went to Adeoyo Hospital for medical examination and treatment. I was told to go for laboratory test,” he explained. “I went to obtain the results and was being led back to the place I would see a doctor by my grandchild when I met the suspect. He approached me and showed much sympathy, asking me to sit down so as not to cause more pains for mysel “He asked me whether I had collected the results of the medical tests and I answered him in the affirmative. He told me to bring out my card so that he would get me another. He also promised to help me get prescriptions. “I thought he was helping me. I didn’t know that he was a conman. He also went to another patient to collect money from her. Only God saved me that he was noticed by one of the hospital staff. When the area boys heard about what he had been doing to patients, they descended on him. They found my card in his pocket. I would have been conned even in my poor state of health.” pretending to want to help. I collected his card and on my way, I saw a woman who wanted to conduct tests for her child. She was about to give me money when I was sighted by a hospital staff. It is true that I attempted to run away but was caught. It is also true that I claimed to have come to the hospital as a patient.” When asked about his thoughts on the crime he committed, the suspect said: “If God could save me from the trouble I put myself in, I will return to my uncle’s home and submit myself to good teachings. I don’t know why I chose bad behaviour. My three siblings, a male and two females, are all married but they are not close to me because of my way of life. My mother is dead and my father, a sawmill operator, is living in Ekiti State where he has his business. I’ve been a terrible child.”
