Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has ordered the compulsory treatment of gunshot victims without police report nationwide.
This directive was contained in an internal memo signed by the Principal Staff Officer, to the IGP, Olatunji Disu, a Commissioner of Police yesterday which was made available to Africa Today News, New York.
The Memo dated October 25th 2023 stated that the directive, was ‘in line with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017.
The memo was copied to all Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, DIGs, all Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, AIGs, all Commissioners of Police and the Commandants of Police Colleges in Ikeja, Kaduna, Oji-River, Maiduguri and Enugu respectively.
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The Memo directed that should make this directive ‘a subject of lecture and circulate widely for the members of the public to be aware of our compliance with the National Law.’
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 Law.’
In the attached letter from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Minister of State, Olatunji Alausa, had called the police boss’ attention to the law’s ‘compliance with the provision of the law’ which he attributed to poor awareness among policemen and sympathisers who may fear being implicated.