CurrentReport Blog The ongoing crisis at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, has taken a fresh twist as a staff member, Mr. A.C. Ndu, has moved to jail the hospital’s Acting Medical Director, Dr. Ngozi Unogu, for alleged contempt of court. This development stems from an unresolved leadership crisis at the hospital, exacerbated by the delayed appointment of a substantive Medical Director, months after the Federal Government concluded interviews for the position.
Mr. Ndu, a staff of the hospital’s School of Nursing, previously won a defamation suit against hospital officials. His counsel, Chijioke Ezeh, revealed that in 2020, Justice E.M. Egumbge of the Enugu State High Court awarded N2.5 million in damages to Ndu and issued a perpetual injunction restraining Dr. Unogu and other officials from questioning Ndu’s qualifications for his role as Principal of the School of Basic Mental Health Nursing.
Despite the court’s ruling, Ndu’s legal team claims that Dr. Unogu defied the order by participating in a committee investigating the very credentials validated by the court. Ezeh argued that this act was not only contemptuous but also indicative of a targeted witch-hunt against Ndu, which has persisted since 2017.
The hospital’s legal representative, Boniface Ugwu, countered these claims, stating that the matter remains subjudice, with an appeal and a motion for stay of execution still pending. He emphasized that until the appeal is resolved, further comments on the case would be inappropriate.
In response to the escalating tension, civil society groups have called for government intervention. Onyebuchi Igboke, a member of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, criticized both the hospital management and the Ministry of Health for enabling alleged misconduct. Igboke urged the ministry to enforce court rulings and suspend Dr. Unogu, citing Section 7 of the Civil Service Guidelines, which mandates the suspension of any officer facing criminal proceedings.
The delay in appointing a new Medical Director has further fueled discontent, with civil society organizations suggesting that the Ministry of Health’s inaction might indicate deeper systemic issues within the hospital’s leadership.
