Rotary seeks change of police, citizens attitude to accident victims

The District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110 comprising Lagos and Ogun States, Otunba Bola Onabadejo, has underscored the need for both the government and citizens to change some habits with a view to downplaying the enormity of disasters as well as reducing the number of casualties in every mishap.

Onabadejo made this known during the programme: “Disaster Risk Reduction Management Training” with the theme: “Knowledge, a gift to disaster risk reduction” organized by Rotary International, District 9110, which took place at Rotary Centre, GRA, Lagos.

The district governor, lamenting the number of deaths that have occurred, said “we still have a long way to go in the area of acquiring the expertise, equipment, materials, and training needed to have some level of confidence when it comes to disaster risk reduction.

“However, there are accidents, that under normal circumstances, if aid should come immediately, such victims would survive. Such assistance are wanting because when most of us see someone desperately in need, even though we have the desire to help, we painfully look away when we consider what the Nigeria Police would do by turning things the other way round.

“If you want to help someone involved in an accident, police could heap the blame back on you that you are the one that knocked him down and prosecute you and if care is not taken, you may be accused of murder that carries death penalty. So, what we actually need is the change of culture on the part of the government and Nigerians generally.

“We are embarking on this advocacy for Nigerians to remain courageous in doing good, not fearing persecution, while also calling on the Nigeria Police to desist from arresting people wrongly and make an issue out of sympathetic Nigerians going out of their way to save the lives of accident victims,” he said.