The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has recovered three ambulances from a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Pally Iriase,  and a private clinic owner in Otuo, Owan East Local Government area of Edo State.

Two of the ambulances were said to have been recovered from the private clinic owned by a retired matron while the third one was recovered from Iriase’s residence.

The former Deputy Chief Whip was said to have told the ICPC that the equipment was parked in his house for safekeeping.

He was also said to have told officials of the commission that the key to the ambulance was with the elders, adding that he kept the ambulance to avoid it being vandalised as the Otuo General Hospital it was meant for had yet to be opened by the Edo State Government.

The general hospital was built during the administration of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole but had been placed under lock and key.

Residents in the area have had to seek medical attention at Igarra, in the Akoko Edo LGA, Afuze in Owan East or Auchi, in the Etsako West LGA.

ICPC sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ambulances were part of a constituency project for the use of the people of Owan but were allegedly diverted to the clinic

Officials of ICPC were said to have visited the general hospital to assess the over N200m medical supplies and equipment provided by the Federal Government as Iriase’s constituency project through the 2017 National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

“We found equipment rotting away at the hospital.

The ambulances we recovered are now in our office. We have done our report and we hope the state government open the hospital,” a source said.