Police brutality:Doctors Shut Down Imo Hospitals In Protest

                    

Public and private hospitals in Imo State have declared a three-day close down of activities to protest their ill-treatment by the police and the Governor Rochas Okorocha’s  administration.

Last week, the doctors and the police clashed in Owerri, the state capital, during a protest against the management of public hospitals and poor treatment of health workers by the state government. During the incident, some doctors were reportedly shot at by the police.

On Tuesday by the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), gave directive to all its members to shut down all hospitals.

In a press statement issued by NMA Chairman, Dr Hyacinth Emele and Secretary, Kyrian Duruewuru, the NMA condemned the action of the police, insisting that the police acted the script of some government officials by shooting its members on a peaceful protest.

See the press statement:

"The association condemns the action of the police, the police acted the script of some government officials by shooting our members on a peaceful protest",

 "Contrary to the police claim that NMA never obtained permission for the protest, it was monitored by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bisong and Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of New Owerri, Eric Uchegbu, who came with six vans loaded with armed policemen, escorting the protesters",

 "The police vans which have been escorting them, at the Ware House roundabout, turned against the doctors, diverting them to end their protest at the Freedom Square and not the Government House as contained in their permit",

"At that point, the police, who were hitherto friendly, threw teargas at them and shot some of his members with live bullets"