Ebola: Liberian woman found hanging in Lagos suburb

There was confusion on Bankole Street, Isheri-Oke,
Lagos on Friday morning when residents woke up to
the sight of a woman hanging on a tree.
The woman, popularly called Kate in the area, was
found dead in a black sweater and orange skirt under
a pear tree.
Our correspondent, who also visited the scene,
gathered from the residents that the woman did not
live on the street.
Residents who spoke to our correspondent also said
that the woman was a Liberian who worked in a
sachet water factory before she died.
While they said that the woman had been sickly for
some time, the residents said she did not appear to
have any problem with anyone in the community.
But after the outbreak of the Ebola disease that was
brought to Nigeria by a Liberian diplomat, Patrick
Sawyer, some of the people in the area opted not to
have anything to do with her.
One of the residents who pleaded anonymity said,
"We see her in this neighbourhood every day. She
always looked sick but people stopped selling to her
after the Ebola outbreak. It could be because she was
Liberian and looked sickly. This might have
frustrated her."
Another resident who spoke to our correspondent
after his request for anonymity was granted said,
"She attended a church in the area and her church
members still saw her yesterday. I used to see her
every day in the dress she died in. She was sick and
people in this area had avoided her, especially after
the Ebola outbreak."
The PUNCH gathered from some landlords, who are
members of the Isheri Oke Community Development
Association, that the incident had been reported to
the Isheri Police Division.
Efforts to reach the Baale (head) of the area, Chief
Albert Bankole, for comments proved abortive as he
declined to speak to The PUNCH on the issue.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer,
Ngozi Braide, could not be reached for comments.
Meanwhile, when our correspondent left the area
around 11am, the woman's body was still hanging
on the pear tree.

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