The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Thursday condemned the shooting and beating of its member attached to the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Yenagoa, by an operative of the Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The NSCDC operative on April 28 in Yenagoa allegedly shot at the medical doctor’s car carrying his wife and two children for hitting a stray dog.

The dog escaped unhurt while the resident doctor, who was assaulted by the NSCDC officer, was hospitalised.

In a statement issued by Dr Asinobi Ugoeze, Spokesman of NARD, the Resident Doctors expressed dissatisfaction over the incident and the way it was being handled by the NSCDC Command in Bayelsa.

The statement said: “The Association wishes to express her utter dismay at the events of Friday 28th April when NSCDC operatives opened fire on a doctor in Yenagoa on the assumption that the doctor had killed a dog.

“In a brazen disregard for the rule of law, ethos of civility and human life the doctor was later bundled into the NSCDC office where he was further pummeled to just within the confines of consciousness.

“As law abiding citizens, we view this incident as an affront on civil liberties and all our security personnel should stand for; consequently, all avenues to ensure adequate punitive measures for the erring officers and reparation for our member will be sought within the ambits of the law.”

Ugoeze also frowned at reports that the NSCDC had ordered an investigation into the incident when neither the victim nor the association was involved.

He said that six days after the incident, the NSCDC was yet to visit the victim and wondered how the incident would be investigated without hearing from the victim.

The Commandant of the corps in the state, Desmond Agu, had said on Tuesday that the Commandant-General of the corps, Abdullahi Muhammadu, ordered an investigation into the incident and assured that the corps would not condone indiscipline among its rank and file.

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