NMA awaits probe report on alleged air force officer’s battery of female doctor

The Nigerian Medical Association in Osun State has said it was awaiting the report of its committee investigating a medical air force officer, Chukwuma Okpara, who was alleged to have battered a female doctor, Theresa Ugalahi, a staff of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital.

Mr. Okpara, a Wing Commander with the Nigerian Air Force, on a residency programme at the OAUTH, was alleged to have assaulted Ms. Ugalahi, last week, inflicting injuries on her.

The altercation was said to have been caused when the female doctor, living in the same residential building with Mr. Okpara, delayed in removing her car directly parked behind his car when he wanted to drive out of the compound.

The Chairman of the NMA in the state, Suraj Ogunyemi, told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that a committee had been set up to investigate the matter and appropriate sanctions would be meted out if the air force officer was found culpable.

“The NMA as a body has its own way of dealing with such misconduct, because it is unprofessional and unethical,” Mr. Ogunyemi said.

“The committee has a week to do their job and thereafter we see how it goes. That kind of conduct is unacceptable and it is unfortunate in this environment. It has not happened here before, we have never seen such.”

According to Mr. Ogunyemi, the female doctor, who was immediately admitted to hospital after the incident, was responding to treatment.

“She needs all our support really,” he said. “It is a traumatic experience.”

However, Mr. Okpara has since denied the allegation, saying instead it was the lady that assaulted him.

He accused Ms. Ugalahi of hitting him with a pedal lock even when he did nothing to provoke her.