Sentate Summons IGP, Wike , others over negligence , death of Greatness Olorunfemi
By Tunde Opalana
The Senate yesterday summoned the Inspector – General of Police , Kayode Egbetokun , the Minister of Health , Ali Pate and his counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ), Nyesom Wike, over the unfortunate death of a Nigerian, Ms Greatness Olorunfemi at the Maitama General Hospital last week Tuesday .
The Daily Times recalled that Greatness Olorunfemi fell victim of criminals operating in ‘one chance vehicle’ in Abuja last week Tuesday. She was stabbed in the vehicle she boarded and thrown out .
Greatness was immediately rushed to the Maitama District Hospital by good Samaritans who picked her in a pool of blood.
It was unfortunately reported that the victim was not attended to at the hospital because her rescuer failed to produced Police report.
The Senate was furious because such request has been made invalidated by provisions of the Gunshots Act 2017 .
The Senate mandated his committees on Health and Police to carry out thorough investigation on Olorunfemi’s death and report back in two weeks time.
It specifically 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.
In the same vein, the Senate mandated its committees on Health , Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance .
Presenting the motion, Senator Ekpenyong quoted the Gunshots Act 2017 which states ” 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 ” .
He added that the Senate needs to amend section 13 of the Act for stiffer penalty against violators of the Act , saying N50,000.00 or five years imprisonment recommended, were nothing to human lives being wasted .
In his remarks after general debate on the motion and adoption of resolutions , the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio , said the time has come to make the Police and health personnel in the country to adhere to provisions of the Gunshots Act 2017.
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” 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 safe Nigerians from such avoidable deaths “, he said.
