After seven months of battling with complications from a gunshot wound on the head, Taiwo Lawal, the one-year-old baby who was shot during a series of robberies in Lagos on September 9, 2012, has died. PUNCH Metro had reported that Taiwo was shot at his parents’ home in Gbagada during the robberies which occurred simultaneously in various parts of the state, an incident now remembered as Black Sunday.
Following the injury and its publication inTHE PUNCH, telecommunications firm, MTN Nigeria, donated N500,000 for the baby’s treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.
The story also drew public interest as concerned members of the public also donated undisclosed sums of money.
Sadly, Taiwo gave up the ghost on March 7, 2013 at Ward E of the hospital.
The deceased’s distraught father, Wasiu, said the death was more painful because of the amount of money the family had spent.
He said, “We spent all that we had but unfortunately my son did not survive. After MTN donated N500,000 and few concerned members of the public gave us money, more expenses kept coming up. The money was not enough as we had to keep spending on drugs and other things.
“After the MTN donation, Taiwo was operated on and he showed signs of improvement at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. A couple of weeks later, after the bullet had been extracted, he was transferred to the main ward but in late December, his health started to deteriorate, he lost weight and we had to take turns to watch over him.”
Wasiu said although doctors at the hospital initially assured him that Taiwo’s brain was not affected by the bullet, he was later told that the bullet had affected the baby’s brain.
Wasiu alleged that after sometime, the nurses at the hospital were no longer as caring as before and even advised him to take the baby home.
He said, “Initially we were told that Taiwo would require another surgery but later we were told that he was too young to have another surgery and that he should have the surgery in a few years’ time. The hospital wanted to discharge him but I objected to it because he obviously was not alright.
“In late January, his health deteriorated and he could not breathe on his own and was placed on Oxygen. At that point, the doctor advised that we flew him abroad for treatment as it was now beyond their capability. However, last week he showed signs of improvement and was even eating.
“We were already happy but unfortunately on Thursday afternoon, Taiwo passed on, leaving behind his twin, Kehinde and two other siblings.”
Calls made to the spokesperson for the hospital, Hope Nwokolo rang out. A text message to her telephone was not replied to.
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