<\/p>\n
By George Mgbeleke<\/p>\n
Civil rights advocacy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a brilliant young lawyer and rising anchor on Arise TV. Her untimely demise is a stark reminder of the systemic failures that plague our nation. The story of her death is a harrowing one, and it is a damning indictment of the systems that are supposed to protect and serve us, citing Section 14. (2)(b) of the Nigerian constitution, which states that, the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.<\/p>\n
Somto’s death is a wound that cuts deeply into the conscience of our nation. Hoodlums invaded her apartment, killing the security man who stood his ground. In fear and desperation, Somto leapt from her storey-building to escape the violence, sustaining injuries in the process. She was rushed to a hospital in Maitama, Abuja, where she was met with bureaucratic indifference. The hospital insisted on a police report before treatment, and in that cruel wait, as life ebbed away, Nigeria killed her.<\/p>\n
In the media statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA condemns in the strongest terms the negligence of the hospital staff, which undoubtedly contributed to her death. The hospital’s insistence on a police report before treatment is a clear indication of the systemic rot that pervades our healthcare system.<\/p>\n
Many deaths, according to reports, have occurred due to the lack of presentation of a police report by victims. It is a system that elevates procedure above humanity, and it is a system that needs to be changed. The Chief Medical Director of Maitama hospital should be held accountable and sacked immediately for the glaring incompetence that led to Somto’s demise.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, we express outrage at the police’s failure to provide assistance when invited to take Somto to the hospital, citing lack of fuel. This is an unacceptable dereliction of duty, and those responsible should face consequences. The police’s failure to respond effectively in emergencies is a clear indication of the need for reform and restructuring. We call on IGP, Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun and demand that the government takes immediate action to address these issues and ensure that law enforcement agencies are equipped to respond effectively in emergencies.<\/p>\n
Somto’s death is not just a tragedy; it’s a symptom of a broader systemic rot. It is a rot that pervades our healthcare system, our law enforcement agencies, and our government. It is a rot that needs to be addressed, and it is a rot that needs to be changed. We demand that the government take immediate action to address these issues and ensure that hospitals prioritize saving lives over procedure. Moreover, there is a binding law that obliged hospitals and doctors to treat even victims of gunshot injuries without waiting for police report.<\/p>\n
HURIWA joins the nation in mourning the loss of this gifted daughter, lawyer, and journalist. Somto was a brilliant, passionate, and dedicated broadcaster at AriseTV, whose professionalism and poise endeared her to colleagues and viewers alike. Her memory should serve as a rallying point for Nigerian journalists to uphold the values she lived by integrity, excellence, and service to society.<\/p>\n
We cannot continue to live in a society where human life is cheap and where institutions fail to protect and serve us. We demand better, and we demand change.<\/p>\n
As we reflect on Somto’s life and legacy, we are reminded of the countless individuals who have lost their lives due to systemic failures and institutional neglect. We are reminded of the need for a healthcare system that prioritizes saving lives over procedure. We are reminded of the need for law enforcement agencies that are equipped to respond effectively in emergencies.<\/p>\n
HURIWA reiterates our demand for justice and accountability in Somto’s case. We demand that the government take immediate action to address the systemic failures that led to her death. We demand that the hospital and law enforcement agencies take responsibility for their actions.<\/p>\n
May Somto’s memory be a blessing to us all, and may her legacy inspire us to build a better Nigeria for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By George Mgbeleke Civil rights advocacy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a brilliant young lawyer and rising anchor on Arise TV. Her untimely demise is a stark reminder of the systemic failures that plague our nation. The story of her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[1044,2300,1291,2553,193,4803,4804,4802,4801],"class_list":["post-7529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-law-crime","tag-agencies","tag-demise","tag-enforcement","tag-integrity","tag-lives","tag-prioritizes","tag-saving","tag-stark","tag-untimely"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7529"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7531,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7529\/revisions\/7531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}