IGP Mandates Gunshot Victims Receive Care Without Police Report

Olukayode Egbetokun

OLUKAYODE Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, has ordered that gunshot victims receive mandatory care even in the absence of a police record.

A police internal document bearing the signature of Olatunji Disu, the Force Principal Staff Officer, gave this command.

The Commandants of the Police Colleges in Ikeja, Kaduna, Oji-River, Maiduguri, and Enugu, as well as all Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, received the memo.

Egbetokun stated that the order complied with the 2017 Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act.

“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.”

Olatunji Alausa, the Minister of State, alerted the police chief to the low enforcement of the law's provisions in the attached letter from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. He blamed this low awareness among police officers and supporters who might be afraid of being implicated.