Says killing of members has become a recurring phenomenon
Pharmacists under the aegis of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), have totally condemned, the brutal murder of its national publicity secretary, Pharm. Sunday C. Ike who was assassinated recently, saying his death was a striking waste of valuable human resource at a time the nation continues to search for its best hands to salvage the remains of the country economically, politically and socio-culturally.
They expressed their grievances in a statement made available to newsmen, on Sunday, in Lagos, which was signed by its National Chairman, Dr Samuel O. Adekola, and the National Secretary, Pharm. (Mrs) Abosede Idowu.
According to the statement, the gruesome murder of one of its shining lights and its incumbent National Publicity Secretary, Late Pharm. Sunday Ike, constituted a huge loss to the Pharmacy profession and to the country in general, especially, at a time when the health sector is bedeviled by manpower shortage.
The statement noted that the Late Ike was already planning to close, after his regular staff have closed for the day when he was gruesomely murdered by some unknown gun men in the late hours of Friday June 19, 2020 at his Pharmacy premises, Suncel Pharmacy, located at 3rd Avenue, Gwarinpa, Abuja.
The association maintained that the assumption of those criminal elements like others in their kith and kin remains the presumption that pharmacy facilities are honeypots, adding that the various misrepresentations that pharmacy premises are equivalent of business premises rather than health facilities catalyses’ the resolve of thieves and assailants to explore the imagined “fortunes” Covid-19 sales bring to Community Pharmacies this season.
While describing the Late Ike as a diligent and passionate community pharmacist who always profess and confess hope of a better tomorrow for pharmacy before the sons and agents of darkness cut short his promising life right in the precincts of his workplace, however called on President Muhammadu Buhari, all the state governors to direct the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in all states of the federation to set up special Security and Police Squads to ensure more rigorous surveillance of Pharmacies and other Health facilities in the ultimate public interest.
It added that the federal government should direct the IG, to identify with a view to bringing killers of Pharm. Sunday Chukwujekwu Ike to book, adding that the minimum demand is to reassure pharmacists and other health workers that government does not take their safety for granted.
The association while describing the murder of Ike as gruesome and unfortunate, noted that it is forced to recall a number of incidents in contemporary times where pharmacists have been wasted in cold murder not to talk of the scores which are daily harassed by men of the under-world and even security agents in the process of rendering essential duties to often times a most unappreciative countrymen.
It recalled the cold-blooded murder of late Pharm. Ororo who was killed while on duty in the mid-eighties in the ancient city of Benin, Edo State, saying the spate of killings in the last couple of years in Edo State is appalling, adding that at the last count, at least five pharmacists have been killed in Edo State while on duty in the last two decades.
It continued, “About two years ago, a community pharmacist was killed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, one in Uyo, Akwa – Ibom State and another one in Benue State all were at their duty posts.
Only recently within this year in the same Port Harcourt city, staffers of a community pharmacy and pharmacists were harassed and physically assaulted by men of the Nigeria Police who ended up detaining them for opening in the course of the ravaging Covi-19 phenomenon which still continues to claim many casualties in our Country and other nations of the world”.
“In what was one of the most painful incidences, a Pharmacist who was the best graduating student in his class was murdered in the vicious cycle of deaths in Lagos State. For obvious reasons of its size and strategic location, Lagos State has witnessed dozens of other deaths and harassment which were not properly documented at different times.
It however implored the FG to consider the exploration of securing life insurance for community pharmacists and other healthcare providers, especially those who are professionally mandated to render essential duties at times of national emergencies, while calling on all well-meaning Nigerians, traditional rulers and spiritual leaders to come to the aid of the ACPN in the bid to tackle the escalating menace of attacks on its members.
