It was alleged that the Police officers took away the young man’s vehicle – a Lexus SUV. The trending video caused public outcry on social media, especially on Twitter, with the #ENDSARS hashtag attending.

Just as the #ENDSARS trend began on Twitter, on Monday, October 5, another report of SARS officer killing a 20-year-old upcoming musician named Chibuike Anams, popularly called Sleek, began to trend.

On Thursday, October 8, 2020, nationwide protests on #ENDSARS started after weeks of outcry and anger, with videos and pictures showing Police brutality, harassment and extortion in Nigeria.

The protests were led predominantly by young Nigerians in different cities alongside many activists and celebrities.

Nigeria Police Force disrupted the protests in some cities, throwing teargas, using water cannons and shooting at unarmed peaceful protesters as seen in Abuja and Osun, resulting in death of unarmed individuals.

By Wednesday, October 14, 2020, the #ENDSARS protests were still ongoing with young people in different parts of Nigeria intensifying their calls for reforms and accountability in police operations.

On Tuesday, October 20, after the Lagos State Government had declared a curfew to empty the streets of protesters as things degenerated into riots, unarmed protests at Lekki Toll gate area of the state were attacked by security agents, killing unspecified number of persons, while the Lagos State Government said 27 persons were receiving treatment in three hospitals namely, Vedic, Reddington and General Hospital.

Many government hospitals are already complaining of their inability to cope with the numbers of gunshot victims being brought to their facilities, even as relations of patients complain of outrageous fees running into several thousands of naira they have been asked to pay for scan and medications.

The minister’s statement was released against this background.

The statement reads:

The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has considered the probability of need for emergency medical services as a result of civic unrest in some parts of the country and directed that casualties arriving Federal Tertiary Hospitals with evocative injuries should NOT be rejected on account of inability to pay for service.

All such persons are to receive treatment without delay.

This Administration places priority on the health and wellbeing of citizens and residents and is committed to assuring that lives are not lost needlessly.

Meanwhile, all persons are reminded to still adhere under all conditions to non-pharmaceutical measures when outdoors, especially the use of face masks and hand sanitizers, as well as social distancing, in order to preserve the gains we have made in stemming community transmission of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Federal Ministry of Health reiterates that continuation of routine service delivery is imperative, using a high index of suspicion for COVID-19, to assure staff protection from infection, considering the ease of transmission.

Chief Executive Officers of all Federal Tertiary Hospitals are to note this directive for immediate compliance please.

source: Punch