Fresh details have emerged about the tragic death of a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer, Blessing Akpan, who was fatally stabbed by an unknown assailant in Bwari, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Blessing was attacked in the early hours of Tuesday last week in front of her residence in Piawe, behind the Chief’s palace. The officer, who was serving under the Bwari Central Division, FCT Command, was confirmed dead at the Bwari General Hospital.
According to Daily Trust, she was rushed to multiple hospitals but was denied prompt treatment because of the absence of a police report.
One of her friends, who requested anonymity, identified the first hospital as Gabriel Hospital, which later referred her to St. Theresa Hospital, both in Bwari.
“It is painful that we lost Officer Blessing, as she was fondly called due to a weak and uncoordinated system,” she lamented.
“Someone was dying, and you insisted there must be a police report before she was attended to. Honestly, this is very sad to say the least. Besides, she’s also a security personnel. We showed them her office identity card, they still didn’t attend to her, hence the reason we were taking her from one place to another until she died.”
How It Happened
Narrating the incident, the deceased’s 9-year-old son, Jeremiah, said his mother had taken him outside at about 5:45 a.m. to ease himself when a man dressed in black and wearing a fez cap suddenly emerged from a nearby maize farm and attacked her.
He said the attacker struck his mother on the head as she tried to shield him, causing her to fall and scream for help.
The deceased’s daughter, also named Blessing, recounted that she heard cries for help shortly after her mother stepped out and came out to find her rolling on the ground in pain.
“I rushed to call our neighbours to inform them and seek help. She was then taken to Gabriel Hospital, where her pulse was checked and then she was referred to St. Theresa’s Hospital, Bwari,” she said.
The victim’s younger sister, Mrs. Peace, added that when they arrived at St. Theresa’s Hospital, nurses on duty demanded a police report before treatment could begin.
“I rushed to the police station so as to get a police report,” she said, explaining that her sister was already dying, but hospital staff delayed care.
A security official confirmed that Peace informed the police about the incident and that her sister was an NSCDC officer. A police officer was dispatched to accompany her back to the hospital, from where the victim was moved to Bwari General Hospital, where she was eventually confirmed dead.
“Afterward, she was then dressed up and taken to the mortuary,” the official said.
He also noted that at the crime scene, a mobile phone, kitchen knife, catapult, and machete believed to belong to the attacker were recovered and are now part of the ongoing investigation.
[DAILY TRUST]
