The Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) on Sunday said it would seek legal redress over shooting of its member by a Civil Defence personnel.

Spokesman of ARD, Dr Suobite Ephraim, said that the association opted for legal action following unsatisfactory effort by Bayelsa Command of Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

ARD condemned the beating of its member, Dr Bekewari Samson, attached to the FMC, Yenagoa, by an NSCDC operative.

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

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

Mr Desmond Agu, Commandant of NSCDC in Bayelsa, had announced on June 30, 2017 that the panel set up to probe the incident had recommended that two of its officers involved in the incident be suspended.

Agu further said that the NSCDC had resolved the conflict with the leadership of the association and resolved to compensate the victim.

The ARD spokesman said that the association was alarmed by the claims that the issue had been amicably resolved when the negotiations ended in a stalemate.

His words: “The purported suspension of the NSCDC operative who attempted to murder our colleague in broad daylight, as well as a conspiracy theory that they have resolved to ‘compensate’ our colleague.

“For the records, we state for the umpteenth time that we are not part of any purported settlement of this matter, as negotiations which were ongoing have clearly broken down.

“The matter returned to status quo ante, due to gross insincerity from the top echelon of the NSCDC at the Bayelsa State Command.

“Our colleague is already seeking legal redress on this matter as his lawyers have issued a pre-action notice on the NSCDC, prelude to instituting a legal suit on the matter.

“The ARD FMCY is also preparing a similar action to run concurrently.”

The association expressed optimism that the victim would find justice at the courts and urged its members to support the ARD’s quest for justice for its member.

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