There was confusion at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, following the death of a passenger at the domestic wing of the airport.
The female passenger simply identified as Mama Tobi was at the boarding area for her flight to Lagos when the incident happened.
She was said to have slumped as a result of high blood pressure.
A lawyer, Felix Ashimole, said the woman died as medical personnel from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) did not respond on time.
“Where is the money they claim was sunk into renovating the airport into world standard? For 13 minutes, no FAAN medical personnel. She died in my hands and few others. A medical doctor on his way to Kano tried but as he finally said, “we lost her.”
“But she would’ve been saved, had FAAN provided basic insulin. She was diabetic. Her sugar went high; She entered coma; No medical attention; She saw the light and moved towards it. We kept calling her, Mama Tobi, Mama Tobi, don’t leave us, wake up, Good morning but saliva trickled down, foams bubbled and I knew she had seen a better place and wouldn’t be coming back!
“FAAN and the entire airline staff on ground were stupidly acting as if è no concern them. They kept announcing boarding and NEVER USED their speaker to ask if there is any medical personnel on ground. Finally they brought an ambulance from their fire fighting department, to take her corpse away! Good night Mummy Tobi. Your country and countrymen, failed you,” the lawyer wrote in a social media post.
It was learnt that the corpse of the deceased was taken to the NAF Medical Centre near the airport.
When contacted last night, spokesperson of FAAN, Mrs. Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, said it was not true that FAAN did not respond on time, saying, “Our doctors were there. We are not happy it happened. We regret it happened but God knows the best in every situation.”
She, however, expressed the condolence of FAAN to the family of the deceased and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
First published in Daily Trust