The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has urged doctors to treat victims of gunshot wounds first before asking for any Police report.
IGP stated this on Monday while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Newsnight programme.

Talking on the police policy on people with gunshot wounds, Adamu said, “No, we don’t do that, save life first even if it’s an individual, suspected robber or kidnapper, or bandits.

“If he or she has gunshot wounds and goes to the hospital, his life must be saved first before thinking of any other thing to do.

“There is no issue of asking for a police report before you treat anybody with gunshot wounds”.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have in recent times warned hospitals and doctors to desist from rejecting gunshot victims, saying such an act constitutes a flagrant violation of existing law.

According to the police, doctors who reject these victims are criminally liable on account of the provision of the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017.

In 2017, the Senate passed a bill seeking to establish a law that ensures that victims of gunshot wounds receive the necessary treatment.

The Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Bill, when signed into law will prevent medical workers from denying care to gunshot victims.

According to the Senate President at that time, Dr Bukola Saraki, the bill will help put a legal framework in place to prevent unnecessary loss of lives, especially as not every gunshot victim is a criminal.

“By the passage of this Bill, the Senate has moved to ensure that every hospital in Nigeria, both public and private, must accept to treat victims of gunshot wounds without any clearance from the police,” Saraki was quoted as saying in a statement by his media office.

“What we have done is to ensure that everyone is entitled to medical treatment, irrespective of the cause of the shooting. We should reserve judgment for the criminal justice system, and leave healthcare for the medical professionals”.

The Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Bill also ensures that every person, including security agents, should render every possible assistance to any person with gunshot wounds and ensure that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.

Credit:
https://applesbite.com/igp-directs-hospitals-to-treat-gunshot-wounds-before-asking-for-police-report/

In Nigeria or USA?

Alot of talks in this country without action.

If implemented good, but will these criminal elements adhere to the directive, or it's just another lips service?

The country is being torn apart already, imagine what the government that is supposed to protect life and properties in the country doing to it's citizens in the east, whereas Fulani herders are having a filled day killing, maiming and raping citizens in this country without resistance from the same government.

It is well

Must it only be gunshot, what if it is matchet in a robbery case should the hospital go on with the treatment... This ig sef..hin go dey talk wetin hin boys no fit listen to

They are paving way for something,

New defence cabinet
Helicopters hovering in the east
ESN, Yorouba and Arewa heat.

IGP on gunshot law adjustment.

Ok na

My problem is why does the Vulture griller need to quote about 5 monikers with screenshots of past, present and future posts before "they" can write their rubbish??

all these problems na my fault o! to say i no cast my one vote for buhari 2years ago, him for win o. na this my one vote make am win o

It is not by directing them. This thing should be passed into law. Criminalize not treating emergency victims. That’s how it’s done in a sane world, you’re here directing, as Zeb Ejiro.

Empty directive I guess. During endsars, he gave one also that police details of VIP should go back to community policing, did anyone obey? Everybody is after money.

I hope they change for the better

I hope they ensure compliance

Direct all hospitals to hang a big banner in their clinic and stop disturbing us or better still direct all CP to invite resident doctors to a general hearing 1representative from each hospital everyday ORDER ,PASS , LAW without action till the next person fall victim .

This issue has been said severally in the past, there should be a fund also where hospitals could draw after treating victims of gun shots, financial implications could discourage some hospitals. But then every hospital should endeavour to save lives first, I lost an uncle who was rich because a hospital which he can build many times over refused to treat him after he was involved in an accident, by the time my relatives heard about it, it was already late and he died

This directive has been made severally in the past. Many times the police has come out to say that hospitals should treat gunshot victims first before asking for report. But the problem has been with compliance. There is a reason for that. Irrespective of what the IGP says, most times officers at the lower level of command, like the DPOs use these situations as enough opportunities to harass health workers and make some quick money. Most doctors are not willing to go through all the hassles set up by the police for related issues and will rather ignore the directives than obey and be made victims by the police..