A soldier has been detained by the 22 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi Cantonment, Ilorin, Kwara State, for allegedly beating two female nurses at the Sobi Specialist Hospital, Ilorin.

The hospital is owned by the Kwara State government.

The soldier, who injured one of the nurses in the process of beating them, is currently undergoing interrogation at Sobi Army Barracks in Ilorin.

The development was confirmed by the chairman of the state chapter of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Alhaji Shehu Aminu.

According to Aminu, the incident happened on Friday at Okelele Primary Health Centre, Ilorin which now houses Sobi Specialist Hospital after it was converted to the state Isolation Centre during the outbreak of COVID-19 last year.

He said the soldier took his pregnant wife, who has been attending antenatal clinic at the hospital, for delivery.

According to him, upon admitting the soldier’s wife into the labour room, the nurse asked the soldier to go and procure delivery packs which included hand gloves and other materials to be used for delivery.

But instead of going for the delivery packs, the soldier, according to Aminu, told the nurse that he would not be able to do so because the state government has provided all the materials at the hospital.

Not satisfied with the nurse’s explanation, Aminu said the soldier became infuriated and headed to the doctor’s office and started beating the two nurses he met there.

“The soldier slapped one of the nurses who ran for her dear life while the other sustained ankle injury,” Aminu said.

He further revealed that the two nurses have been treated at the hospital for the injuries sustained while the association had reported the matter at the barracks.

Aminu also said that the state government had also reported the incident to the Nigerian Army headquarters in Abuja, adding that the culprit had been arrested and detained in Ilorin.

The Public Relations Officer of the 22 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi Cantonment, Ilorin, St. Sgt Waziri, confirmed the incident, adding that the authority of the cantonment has put the soldier in the guard room for further interrogation on the matter.