Hospitals no longer need our report to treat gunshot victims – Police

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), has directed hospitals to treat gunshot wounds with or without police report.

Fatai Owoseni, police commissioner in Lagos state, disclosed this while addressing reporters on Wednesday.

Owoseni the IGP only advised hospitals to ensure that they make proper report at the nearest police station.

“Any medical practitioner that insists on the production of a police report is doing that on his own,” he said.

“All the hospital needs to do is to report at the nearest police station for accountability and record purpose.

“This is important for the protection of the hospital because when the police is aware, they can protect the hospital from further invasion by the victim’s gangs to rescue him.

“Our personnel have been warned not to hoodwink any medical practitioner.”

Owoseni said the command was aware of the public observations on acts of indiscipline by some policemen, saying that the area commanders and divisional police officers (DPOs) had been cautioned.

“We have passed on your observations and we hope they pass it on to their subordinates, too,” he said.

JUST IN: Police, Kidnappers Exchange Fire In Epe Area of Lagos.

Residents of Igbodu community in the Epe area of Lagos State were in the early hours of Tuesday jolted by a gun duel between some suspected kidnappers and men of the Nigeria Police.

Confirming the incident, a source in the Lagos State Police Command told Channels Television that the suspects opened fire on a team of policemen who were on patrol along the Epe axis, and riddled their vehicle with bullets.

One of the farmers in the area also told Channels Television that the gun battle broke out after some of the kidnap victims escaped when they noticed that six of the gang members had left the camp, leaving only two of them, whom they later overpowered.

On arrival at the camp and learning that their victims had escaped, the gang members reportedly went on rampage, attacking everyone they came across.

The kidnappers had on February 14 abducted five farm assistants and two members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), who were guarding the farmers and requested for five million naira as ransom.

 

Source: Channels TV

JUST IN: Gunshots, confusion in Borno as soldiers fighting Boko Haram go on rampage

There is a complete breakdown of order and discipline at the 21 Brigade of the Nigerian Army with soldiers deployed to rout Boko Haram from the dreaded Sambisa Forest in Borno State turning against their officers and firing gunshots in all directions.

People familiar with the matter said the troops complained of mistreatment and then began to shoot indiscriminately, threatening to kill any officer who stands on their way.

“The brigade is based in Bama but is currently deployed at Bula Bello in Sambisa for Operation Rescue Final,” a military insider told PREMIUM TIMES.

“But suddenly soldiers started mutinying at 6AM today, firing in all directions and threatening to pull out of the operation.

“As some of them fire gunshots, some started preparing vehicles to move out of location. They also warned officers to steer clear or they would be shot dead.

“They are saying their commanders have been treating them badly and telling them lies. As I speak to you, the firing is still going on, and there is confusion everywhere.”

The commander of the Brigade, Col AG Laka, could not immediately be reached to comment for this story.

The Nigerian Army is yet to issue a statement on the incident.

Contacted, the spokesperson for the Army, Sani Usman, a brigadier general, declined comment on the development.

There have been repeated cases of mutiny by Nigerian soldiers since the war against Boko Haram began, and the Army has tried over 100 soldiers for the offence.

The worst case occurred in May 2014 when troops of 7 Division, angered by the death of 12 of their colleagues in a Boko Haram ambush, opened fire on the vehicle of their General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Ahmadu Mohammed.

The soldiers were later arrested, tried and jailed.

#EdoDecides: INEC Denies Allegation Of Ballot Box Snatching, Gunshots

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has denied report of ballot box snatching and gunshots in some polling centres during the Edo governorship election on Wednesday.

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole had earlier said he received a report that some thugs allegedly snatched ballot boxes at Opoji in Esan North-East Local Government Area during the election.

Oshiomhole also alleged that the suspected snatchers shot sporadically before taking away the ballot boxes.

Credit: NAN