By Andrew Oota
The Senate Thursday summoned the Inspector – General of Police , Kayode Egbetokun , the Minister of Health , Ali Pate and his counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT , Abuja , over what it considered as avoidable death of Ms Greatness Olorunfemi at the Maitama General Hospital last week Tuesday .
Late Greatness Olorunfemi fell victim of one chance criminals in Abuja last week Tuesday who stabbed her in the vehicle she boarded and thrown out in her pool of blood .
She was immediately rushed to the Maitama District Hospital by good Samaritans but refused to be attended to , for lack of Police report , which however has been made unnecessary by provisions of the Gunshots Act 2017 .
Disturbed by the sad development , the Senate through a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong ( APC Cross River South ) , 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.
Senate also mandated its committees on Health , Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance .
Senator Ekpenyong had while presenting the motion quoted the Gunshots Act 2017 which states thus ” 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 .
” 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 .
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