The Acting Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has directed medical personnel across the country to treat victims of gunshot without requesting for a police report.
The IGP issued the directive while urging health workers to sensitise Nigerians to the development.
Egbetokun’s directive, based on the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, was contained in a Police internal memo dated October 25, 2023, and signed by the Force Principal Staff Officer, Olatunji Disu.
The memo was addressed to all Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Commissioners of Police and the Commandants of Police Colleges in Ikeja, Kaduna, Oji-River, Maiduguri and Enugu.
The memo reads, “I forward herewith a copy of letter HMSH&SW/IG/CTCV/ 10/2023 dated 3rd October, 2023, received from Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare on the above-underlined subject, and write to convey the directive of the Inspector-General of Police that you comply with and enforce the provisions of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017 without any hesitation.
“The Inspector-General of Police further directs that you make this a subject of lecture and circulate widely for the members of the public to be aware of our compliance with the National the gruesome murder of a woman, Greatness Olorunfemi, on September 26 by a “one-chance” robber, who stabbed and pushed her out of a moving vehicle in Abuja.
It had been reported that to make matters worse, the Maitama General Hospital, where she was rushed, refused to treat her unless a police report was provided. She had bled to death.
A civic group, YALI Network, Abuja petitioned the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over the incident and called for action to prevent a recurrence.