Senate angry as corper shot by cop dies because hospital refused to treat her without police report

The Nigerian Senate has resolved to investigate the circumstances surround the death of Miss Linda Angela Igwetu, the NYSC Corper who was allegedly shot by a Police Office two nights ago.

Senator Atai Aidoko, citing Order 42 and 52, raised the issue, stating that while on her way home with her friends, the corper was shot and rushed to Garki hospital, Abuja but was not treated because they needed a police report.

The Senate, thereafter resolved to: Mandate its Committee on Youth and Sports to investigate the death of the NYSC Corper; mandate its Committee on Health to investigate the non-treatment of the patient, and; mandate its Committee on Police Affairs to investigate the cause of the incident.

All three Committees have been directed to report back to the Senate in 2-weeks.

Commenting on the Motion, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said:

“There are two issues here. One, is how could this have happened? How could the officer mistakenly or otherwise have shot in such a way that led to this young ladies death?

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“Secondly, we have passed this Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Act, and the President assented to it on the 30th of December 2017. Until we start holding people accountable to these kinds of incidents, they will not stop.

“What is the point of us passing a Bill, and the President assenting to it, then it becomes law, and still, people will decide that they will not treat a patient.

“Is it that they are not well-informed? Is it that they were not aware that such a law exists? There are a number of issues that we need to address.

“Every Nigerian life is important. Especially young ones that are just about to start their own lives and careers. This is a loss that could have been avoided. We must continue to show that we will continue to defend our people and defend them here. Let us stand and observe a one-minute silence for Ms. Linda,” Saraki said.

The Senate thereafter observed a one-minute silence for Miss Linda Angela Igwetu.

In a related development, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said that the Senate will continue to do all within its power to ensure that alleged sexual abuse and violence against Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) at camps in the North East and across the country are not covered up.

Saraki according to a statement by his Special Assistant on New Media, Olu Onemola, said this while receiving the Amnesty International (AI) 2017/18 Report on ‘The State of the World’s Human Rights’ and the organization’s report on women who survived Boko Haram but were later maltreated, from its Country Director, Mrs. Osai Ojigho, in Abuja.

Saraki said, “By getting it right, we must be able to accept where these issues exist and work with partners like yourselves to be able to establish the facts,” Saraki said. “We have already set up a panel on your IDP report. By doing this, we can establish where sanctions need to be meted out.”

He added: “You have our assurance that nothing will be covered up. Not just for the purpose of discipling people, but for the purpose of preventing reoccurrence. By doing this, we can help to ensure that people will change in their approach.

“Our people are already going through a lot of hardship in the IDP camps, they do not need this. We must stand and be there for them. In this regard, I am very keen to see the committee work very closely with you to resolve this — so that the administration of justice is achieved and people will get a fair hearing.”

Earlier, the Country Director of AI, Mrs. Ojigho, said that the visit was meant to commend the Senate for setting up a panel to investigate the allegations contained in the report.

“We think it is a good sign of progress and a willingness to find out the truth regarding the incidents that have been happening and we hope that it will bring recourse to the women victims and their families in their quest to seek justice.

“We also want to commend the work of the National Assembly in passing and reforming our laws, particularly the Anti-Torture Law that was signed by the President in December. We believe that this would go a long way in addressing the issue of torture, particularly by our security forces in Nigeria,” the Country Director said.

 

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