Lagos Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital staff rejects ‘illegal extension’ of Medical Director Owoeye’s tenure amid corruption probe

Some workers at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State, have raised strong objections to the decision by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to extend the tenure of the embattled Medical Director, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, despite allegations of corruption against him.

Sources at the hospital confirmed to SaharaReporters on Wednedsay that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare granted a “secret tenure extension” to Dr Owoeye without presidential approval.

One of the sources revealed that despite facing allegations of monumental corruption, the medical director Owoeye, was asked by the federal ministry to continue as acting medical director “after expiration of his four years tenure on 31st May 2025.”

The workers at the hospital described the move as “highly irregular” and in violation of existing federal guidelines. Staff pointed to a government circular, Ref. No.SGF.50/S.II/C.2/268, which expressly states that Chief Executives of government parastatals with clearly defined tenures must vacate office at the end of their term and hand over to the most senior officer without pending disciplinary issues.

“The extension granted Dr Owoeye clearly violated the provisions of this circular. This is particularly more scandalous when one considers the serious allegations of corruption levelled against him from none of which he has been found innocent,” the source said.

Anger and tension are said to be mounting among hospital staff, especially clinical personnel who claim they have borne the brunt of what they describe as Dr Owoeye’s “outrageous leadership.

“This extension of tenure for Dr Owoeye has greatly enraged members of staff, especially clinical staff members who have always had to bear the brunt of his misrule. As an example of the effects of his outrageous leadership, there was a violent breakout by patients from drug rehabilitation wards on Sunday, 1st June 2025 during which patients protested against poor living conditions, including poor meals, medication shortages prolonged power outages, and water scarcity.”

The violent protest by patients reportedly resulted in damages worth millions of Naira. Nurses caught in the rampage are said to have suffered severe psychological trauma, now requiring ongoing treatment — with no form of support from the medical director.

“Such violent incidents became a regular occurrence during his four years tenure,” another source added.

Staff are now questioning why the government would reward someone, whom they alleged, had a “track record of corruption and incompetence” with another term in office.

The hospital’s consultant psychiatrists, under the platform of MDCAN-FNPHY, are said to have rejected the extension and submitted a petition demanding his immediate removal.

SaharaReporters earlier exclusively reported that a delegation from the Federal Ministry arrived at the hospital on Monday, May 5, 2025, in response to multiple petitions submitted by concerned individuals and advocacy groups.

The petitions reportedly detailed irregularities in the hospital’s financial records, procurement processes, and patient welfare standards under Dr. Owoeye’s leadership.

A reliable source within the hospital told SaharaReporters that Dr. Owoeye had allegedly taken steps to preempt the investigators by orchestrating a series of deceptive actions designed to cover up the reported misconduct.

“Before the arrival of the investigative team, Dr. Owoeye implemented a plan to mislead them,” the source said.

“One of his tactics was to stop remitting patient payments for medications into the Treasury Single Account (TSA), as required by government regulations.”

Instead, according to the source, the funds were diverted to buy drugs in small quantities from vendors, a move allegedly intended to give the impression that the hospital had a functioning supply of medications.

“This practice violates government guidelines and opens the system to abuse,” the source explained.

“It was only started recently when he got wind of the Ministry’s plan to investigate. The aim is to falsely demonstrate that drugs have been consistently available, which is far from the truth.”

In another development, the source revealed that hospital accounting staff were allegedly instructed to falsify financial records, particularly receipts related to electricity payments.

“Account department staff were ordered to alter figures on receipts for electricity bills,” the source said.

“These manipulated receipts were photocopied and submitted to the investigators as evidence that the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) was used to settle utility bills.”

The source further alleged that similar manipulations were carried out to justify the disbursement of about N300million in special intervention funds the hospital received in December 2024.

“He claimed the funds were used to procure medications, but there has been no improvement in drug availability,” the source noted.

“The wards have continued to face chronic shortages.”

In an apparent last-minute effort to impress the investigators, Dr. Owoeye had allegedly ordered the overnight purchase of large quantities of foodstuffs on Saturday, May 3, just two days before the Ministry team’s arrival.

“No such purchase has been done in the past three years,” the source disclosed. “Patients have been subjected to poor, inadequate, and delayed meals during this period.”

. SaharaReporters