File photo of typical gunmen in Nigeria

As the Nigeria and other parts of the world are struggling to contain the Coronavirus pandemic, with patients streaming to hospitals, the Federal Medical Centre, FMC in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital played host to guests of a different hue on Wednesday. In the early hours today a band of heavily armed hoodlums attacked the hospital leaving staff and patients in complete disarray.

TheNews learnt that the unexpected visitors shot sporadically in the gate before invading the hospital smarshing windows and forcefully discharging patients. They were armed with dangerous weapons.

Sources at the center claimed
the hoodlums numbering more than twenty arrived in a convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles forced their way in and headed for the administrative block. They vandalized the building and carted away laptops and other valuables.

It was gathered that they also went to the revenue unit of the hospital, attacked the staff on duty and carted away undisclosed sum of money and laptops. The records unit of the hospital was not spared According to the source, the hoodlums were armed with cutlasses, knives and other dangerous weapons during the attack.

The attack was said to have lasted close to an hour during which staff members on duty and management scampered to safety. Some were said to locked themselves up in a location making panic calls to their loved ones.

The management of the hospital could not be reached for comments as at the time of filling this report.

However the Kogi state police command Public Relations Officer, DSP Williams Aya while confirming the story said the situation was under control as state police commissioner, CP Ayuba Edi have drafted his men to the center.

According to him, some group of people protested at the Federal Medical Center on Wednesday morning adding that management of the federal medical center is yet to officially report the incident to the command.

Since the incident fully armed security men have taken over the hospital. The fully armed security men blocked the entrance of the center to prevent people from going into the premises.

It will be recalled that since the Coronavirus pandemic in the country, the Kogi State Government, National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC and the hospital have been at arms drawn over the Covid-19 status of the State.