Policemen Allegedly Attack Protesting Doctors In Imo, Killing One

Medical practitioners in Imo embark on peaceful protest after reportedly informing security operatives of their intention. Regardless, police disrupt the protest by barricading the road and allegedly shooting a medical practitioner to death

Medical practitioners who gathered at Orlu roundabout, Imo on Wednesday, February 3 for a peaceful protest have been thrown into mourning following the untimely death of one of their colleagues.

Efforts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, for a statement in the wake of the incident were abortive as his mobile phones were not reachable.

The deceased Dr. Bende Azudialo was a Consultant Family Physician at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri.

Late Dr. Azudialo was allegedly shot in the head according to reports from Vanguard.

Following this, other medical practitioners in the state have embarked on a three-day warning strike which started today, February 4.

Dr. Hyacinth Emele, the Imo state chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, confirmed this on February 4 during a press briefing in Owerri.

He told newsmen gathered that following the three-day strike, the medical practitioners would embark on an indefinite strike action if the policeman who shot and killed Dr. Azudialo is not identified.

He added that the indefinite action means a closure of all the hospitals in the state.

He said: “If the policeman that fired the lethal shot is not identified and prosecuted, doctors will commence indefinite industrial action. The security agencies and Imo State Government should note that all hospitals in the state will close shop thereafter until the erring policeman is fished out and punished.”

Dr. Emele said a medical team immediately started performing different procedures on the late consultant as soon he was hit and rushed to the FMC.

But he had however lost a lot of blood and so did not survive.

Emele said: “The initial report we got from the medical team was that Dr. Azudialo lost about 1.5 litres of blood when he was rushed to the hospital and that was a substantial loss.”

Another colleague of the deceased, Dr. Darlington Akukwu, explained further that the authorities were duly informed of the peaceful protest before prior to the attack on Azudialo.

He said the Directorate of State Security, the Federal Road Safety Corp and the Commissioner of Police as well as other security agencies were informed hence the disappointment when one of their colleagues was fatally shot.

Dr. Akukwu said: “We processed peacefully until we got to Orlu Road Roundabout. The police barricaded the road and when we tried to explain our mission to them, they started firing teargas canisters. One of them later fired a shot that wounded Dr. Azudialo.”

Akukwu therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the Inspector General of police to look into the incident with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.

Vanguard reported that as at 2.15pm on Thursday, February 4, over 12 police patrol vehicles remained stationed at the entrance of the state secretariat of the Nigerian Medical Association.

Source: Naij.com