The Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has warned police officers against delaying or preventing victims of gunshot injuries from receiving medical attention because of police procedures, insisting that emergency treatment must take priority over administrative requirements.
Disu said victims must not be harassed or denied access to healthcare while awaiting police reports or other documentation, adding that the protection of human life should remain the overriding concern.
He gave the directive on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of a public awareness campaign on the immediate treatment of gunshot victims, organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The campaign seeks to educate Nigerians on the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, which requires hospitals to provide immediate medical attention to gunshot victims without demanding police reports as a precondition.
Represented by the Director of Legal Services of the Nigeria Police Force, Aremu Bamidele, the IGP reaffirmed the force’s commitment to enforcing the provisions of the legislation.
“The Nigerian Police Force remains fully committed to the faithful implementation of this law. We have consistently directed our officers that no victim of gunshot injury shall be subjected to harassment, delay or denial of medical care on account of police procedure,” he said.
Disu added that the police would continue working with healthcare providers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to ensure that victims receive prompt treatment, regardless of whether they have obtained police reports.
He said the force was determined to prevent avoidable deaths resulting from fear, misinformation or bureaucratic obstacles.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said misconceptions about legal and police procedures had continued to create barriers to emergency treatment despite the existence of the law.
Issa-Onilu, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Health and Social Care, Ayoola Olufemi, noted that delays in treating gunshot victims could have fatal consequences.
He urged security agencies, medical professionals and other relevant institutions to prioritise emergency care over administrative processes.
The NOA chief also called on members of the public to help victims of gunshot injuries reach the nearest hospital whenever they encounter such cases.
According to him, the responsibility for ensuring prompt treatment extends beyond hospitals to security personnel, healthcare workers and ordinary citizens.
The Deputy Head of Delegation of the ICRC, James Matthews, equally urged stakeholders to sustain public awareness efforts and ensure that victims of gunshot injuries are not left without medical assistance.
He encouraged Nigerians to understand the provisions of the law and help injured persons access the nearest medical facility without unnecessary delays.
*What the Gunshot Victims Act provides*
The Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots Act was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2017 to prevent deaths arising from the refusal or delay of medical treatment for gunshot victims.
The legislation requires public and private hospitals across Nigeria to admit and provide immediate and adequate treatment to victims, irrespective of whether they present police reports or clearance.
Section 1 establishes the right of gunshot victims to immediate medical attention, while Section 2 places a duty on everyone, including security personnel, to assist injured persons and ensure they are taken to the nearest hospital.
The Act also prohibits hospitals from making emergency treatment conditional on an initial monetary deposit and bars the subjection of victims to torture or inhuman and degrading treatment.
Under Section 3, hospitals are required to notify the nearest police station within two hours of commencing treatment. The police are then expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting without interfering with the victim’s access to medical care.
Section 4 further stipulates that police officers must not invite victims for questioning at the hospital unless the Chief Medical Director certifies that they are medically fit and no longer require urgent medical attention.
The legislation also provides penalties for violations. Under Section 11, any person or authority, including a police officer, security agent or hospital, whose failure to discharge statutory responsibilities results in the unnecessary death of a gunshot victim is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of N500,000, imprisonment for five years or both.
Additionally, hospitals must notify the victim’s family or relatives within 24 hours of establishing their identity and maintain adequate records of the treatment provided.
