Police reports should not be required for the treatment of gunshot victims — IGP

Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has mandated that gunshot victims receive mandatory treatment across the country in the absence of a police record.

This instruction was included in an internal document sent on Wednesday to the IGP, Olatunji Disu, a Commissioner of Police, and signed by the Principal Staff Officer.

The directive was described as being “in line with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017” in the memo dated October 25, 2023.

All Commissioners of Police, Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), and Commandants of Police Colleges in Ikeja, Kaduna, Oji-River, Maiduguri, and Enugu received copies of the memo.

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The memo instructed that in order for the public to be aware of our adherence to the National Law, this directive should be “a subject of lecture and circulated widely.”

I am forwarding a copy of the letter HMSH&SW/IG/CTCV/ 10/2023 dated October 3, 2023 that I received from the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare on the subject mentioned above. Additionally, I am writing to convey the Inspector-General of Police’s directive that you immediately comply with and enforce the provisions of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017.”

“The Inspector-General of Police additionally instructs that you lecture on this topic and disseminate it extensively so that the general public is aware of our adherence to the National Law.”

The Minister of State, Olatunji Alausa, called the police chief’s attention to the law’s “compliance with the provision of the law” in the attached letter from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. He attributed this to a lack of awareness among police officers and supporters who might be afraid of being implicated.