SENATE SUMMONS IGP, OTHERS FOR NEGLIGENCE OVER DEATH OF GREATNESS OLORUNFEMI 06-10-23
By Sadiq Aminu The Senate has summoned the Inspector – General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Minister of Health, Ali Pate and his counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, over the avoidable death of Ms Greatness Olorunfemi at the Maitama General Hospital last week Tuesday.
Greatness Olorunfemi fell victim of a criminal act also known as one chance in Abuja last week Tuesday, and was stabbed and thrown out of the vehicle.
She was immediately rushed to Maitama District Hospital by good Samaritans but refused to be attended to, for lack of Police report .
Disturbed by the sad development, the Senate through a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong representing Cross River South, mandated the committees on Health and Police to carry out a thorough investigation on Olorunfemi’s death and report back in two weeks.
It also mandated the joint committees to summon the Inspector – General of Police, the FCT Minister and his counterpart in the Heath Ministry, to appear before it, for explanations on why Olorunfemi bleed to death without being attended to, in violation of the extant law, provided for by Gunshots Act, 2017.
Senator Ekpenyong while presenting the motion quoted the Gunshots Act 2017 which provides that” As from the commencement of this Act, every hospital in Nigeria whether public or private, shall accept or receive for immediate and adequate treatment with or without Police clearance, any person with a gunshot wound “.
He also quoted section 3 of the Act which states ” No gunshot victim shall be refused immediate and adequate treatment whether or not an initial monetary deposit has been paid ” .
Senator Ekpenyong urged the Senate to amend section 13 of the Act to provide for a stiffer penalty against violators of the Act, adding that N50,000.00 or five years imprisonment recommended, were nothing to human lives being wasted .
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, stressed the need for the Police and health personnel in the country to adhere to the provisions of the Gunshots Act 2017 .
“The death of Greatness Olorunfemi was avoidable if provisions of the extant law have been adhered to.
“Police and health care providers in the country need to save Nigerians from such avoidable deaths”, he said.