The hide and seek game on the casualty figure in the aftermath of the collapsed church building that claimed several lives in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, continued today.
The state government put the death toll at 26 without listing the names of victims.
The play with figures began with a statement purportedly issued by the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) claiming that “only six people died”.
Media reports had put the casualty figure between 50 and 200.
The state government announced today that there would be no mass burial for victims.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Government House, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, said corpses of the dead victims would be released to family members as soon as the police concluded investigations.
The commissioner, who maintained that 26 people died in the incident, said: “Death toll is now 26. Patients in the hospitals are 168. There are 50 outpatients. Nine hospitals have the following patients: UUTH (28), Ibom Specialist Hospital Uyo, (70), Sifon Clinic (9), Lifecare clinic (24), Premiers clinic ( 9), St Lukes Hospital (22) Gateway Medical Centre (2), Uwah Mfon Clinic (1), First Line Clinic (1) and Alma Clinic and Surgery ( 2) .”
Meanwhile, a video has surfaced on YouTube showing how victims’ bodies suffered indignity in the hands of government officials. Find the link here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JXUud1KpCBY
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