Barely 4 weeks after this photo was taken, Oranye Ruth was hit by a car where she was waiting to cross in Lekki phase 2. Ruth although sustaining major head injuries was still alive and was carried to a nearby private hospital which turned her away demanding a police report. 1/8 
By the time the group arrived at the government hospital which was a distance away in Epe, Ruth had given up the ghost. She was just 27. This practice of demanding for a police report before treating victims has no backing in the law, but why do hospitals still do it? 2/8
Through the month of November, I and my friend Tessa Doghor will be teaming with some of Nigeria’s biggest blogs and news organizations for the #TreatFirstQuestionsLater campaign which advocates for speedy medical attention in an emergency situation before anything else. 3/8
We intend to through the stories of 25 victims of this injustice sensitize medical personnel and the ordinary Nigerian about the existence of The 2017 Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari. 4/8
It mandates hospitals, public or private to treat gunshot victims (or what looks like a gunshot victim) with or without a police report. We'd also be taking a petition to the National Assembly demanding that this law be enforced and speaking directly to policymakers as well. 5/8
The campaign will feature pieces from medical doctors and law enforcement officials to ensure we have a balanced grasp of why this continues to happen. If you have a story like this to share or then please send me a DM or shoot me an email on calebokereke@gmail.com. 6/8
If you run a blog or you’re an editor at a media house and will be interested in running one of these stories, please get in touch too. 7/8
Prior to Ruth’s death, I had heard stories like this but it remains a story, it remains a statistic until it hits close to home and you realize that there’s little privilege can do for you when you’re at the mercy of strangers. I do not want it to happen to anyone else. 8/8
