When a man, Alabi Olokode, made advances to Lateefah Adesope, a National Diploma holder, the lady simply turned him down on the grounds that her heart was not with him.
Like a desperate man that he is, Olokode persisted. But Lateefah maintained her stand. This, however, did not go down well with the desperate suitor.
As usual, Lateefah set out for mosque around 5.30am on December 30, 2011, for her prayers.
She said, “I was on my way to say my morning prayers at Tekunudeen Mosque, Aboru on Friday, December 30, 2011, when Olokode, who was hiding near the mosque, suddenly called my name. As I turned back, he poured a liquid substance on my face.
“The liquid went straight into my eyes and started burning my face. At that time, I didn’t know it was acid but I just realised that I couldn’t open my eyes because of the burning sensation I was having.
“When I started screaming, people around me confirmed it was acid because the substance consumed part of my veil.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that Lateefah was immediately rushed to the General Hospital, Oke-odo area of Lagos, where she was given first aid before she was transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
It was learnt that after spending a few weeks at the LASUTH, Lateefah was told by the attending doctor that she would not be able to see again.
Lateefah’s mother, Haulatu, who spoke to our correspondent amid tears, said she had to take her daughter to another hospital for a second opinion.
She said, “Lateefah was given treatment at the LASUTH but we were not satisfied with their diagnosis because we felt the doctors there did not do enough.
“The doctors at the LASUTH were able to take care of her to some extent and gave her some drugs to ease the pain but they later told us that she would not be able to see again.
“I took my daughter to Antilla Catholic Hospital Eye Centre, Agege, and the doctors told us that if she had been brought earlier, Lateefah would not have lost her sight.”
A nurse, who claimed to be part of the team that attended to Lateefah when she was brought to the eye centre, corroborated what the victim’s mother said.
The nurse, who declined to give her name, said, “When Lateefah was brought in, her right eye was completely gone while the other one was glued together.
“We had hoped that when we opened the left eye, it would still be functional but when we opened it, it was discovered that her cornea had been badly damaged and the acid had destroyed other vital parts of her eyes.
“If she had been brought in earlier, the possibility of her regaining her sight would have been high but the previous hospital where the family claimed she was taken to, did not do enough.”
However, the LASUTH management denied complicating Lateefah’s case and insisted that she was properly attended to.
The Public Relations Officer, LASUTH, Mr. Dele Johnson, said the hospital remained one of the best in the country.
He, however, took our correspondent to the Ophthalmology Department, where the supervising doctor explained that attempts were made to salvage Lateefah’s eyes.
