NSCDC Officer Stabbed to Death in Abuja Due to Lack of Emergency Medical Care

A personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), identified as Akpan Blessing, has tragically lost her life after being stabbed by unknown attackers in Piawe, Bwari area of Abuja.

SundiataPost gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of last Tuesday, right in front of her residence. Following the attack, Blessing was rushed to several hospitals, but she was repeatedly denied emergency medical attention due to the absence of a police report.

One of her heartbroken friends, speaking on Monday, explained that Blessing was first taken to Gabriel Hospital, and later to St. Theresa Hospital, both located in Bwari town. However, both facilities allegedly refused to treat her despite presenting her NSCDC identity card.

Its heartbreaking that we lost officer Blessing, as we fondly called her, because of how poorly coordinated the system is. She was bleeding to death, and all they wanted was a police report, the friend said. We moved her from one hospital to another until she gave up.

Another friend recounted that the deceased was stabbed during a robbery attempt. She was heading somewhere when some people tried to rob her. They likely stabbed her while trying to take her belongings, the friend stated.

After losing so much blood, she was finally taken to the Bwari General Hospital, where medical workers confirmed her dead.

When contacted, FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, disclosed that the matter was not formally reported to the police and advised that further inquiries be directed to the NSCDC. Similarly, NSCDCs national spokesman, Babawale Afolabi, said only the FCT Command could comment on the issue. However, several attempts to reach the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

In response to the incident, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, strongly criticised the hospitals for refusing treatment over the absence of a police report.

He stressed that such an act goes against Nigerias existing laws. It is shocking that a victim of violence was allowed to die simply because hospitals insisted on a police report, Nwanguma said. This clearly violates the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, which mandates hospitalswhether public or privateto promptly treat victims of gunshot wounds or life-threatening injuries without requiring a police report first.