The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded that Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police, carry out an inquest into the roles of its officers, as well as that of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Military Hospital, Yaba, in the death of David Ntekim-Rex, a Computer Systems Engineer.
The PDP made the demand in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, on Monday.
Persons said to be relatives of the deceased claimed on social media that some of the police officers who later arrived at the crime scene delayed in evacuating the victim to the hospital because they were more interested in why he (Ntekim-Rex) was carrying a laptop.
It is also alleged the hospitals refused to treat Ntekim-Rex because he sustained a gunshot injury and insisted on getting a police clearance before they could attend to him.
Reacting, the PDP described the purported action of the police officers and the hospitals as horrendous and irresponsible.
It stated that rather than carrying out their duties to save and protect a citizen’s life, both the police officers and the hospitals were concentrated on trivial issues.
The statement read: “The reported refusal by police operatives to offer any help to save the life of the award winning 22-year-old computer system engineer, but rather engaged in photo ops, as the promising young Nigerian continued to bleed, is irresponsible,” the PDP said in a statement.
“It is horrendous that while the victim gasped for breath, the police, who ought to have provided help and taken action to track down the assailants, reportedly took pictures of the dying youth and showed more interest in his laptop.
“Our party holds that this action of the said operative makes them culpable for failing in their statutory duties of saving lives, which also amounts to a very grievous offence under our laws and before humanity.
“In the same vein, the PDP expresses worry over the alleged refusal by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Military Hospital attend to the victim, leading to his eventual death.”
According to the main opposition party, the reported actions of the police and the hospitals are in clear violation of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017, which establishes the right of every person with gunshot wounds to be treated.
The party, therefore, called on IGP Adamu to investigate the action of the police officers and the hospitals and find out if their purported negligence led to the death of Ntekim-Rex.
“Our party therefore calls on Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to immediately commence a full inquest into the roles played by his men and the hospitals in the unfortunate death of Citizen David Ntekim-Rex,” the statement added.
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