Meet Policewoman who ‘saved and paid hospital bill’ of a robbery victim left for dead

But for a rare demonstration of regards for human life, 25-year-old Ajobor Friday, would have been lying six feet below the earth.

Friday, who was just smarting from the loss of both parents, was shot two weeks ago,by some hoodlums who attempted to disposes him of cash and his telephone, at Ogudu area of Lagos.. The orphan who works as a private guard, was in the company of a lady, who was to introduce him to an agent that would take him to an apartment he intended to rent.

In the course of waiting, two hoodlums, as gathered , accosted him, demanding for cash. But he politely told them he had no cash on him and they left. The hoodlums came back again, demanding that he gave them the phone he was with since he claimed he had no money on him. Again, he was said to have politely told them that the phone was not his, before throwing it to the lady he was with.

Infuriated by his action, one of the hoodlums , shot him in the stomach. Time was 8pm. The gun shot was said to have sent other persons around the scene scampering for safety, thereby leaving Friday in the pool of his blood.

When information on the incident reached policemen at Ogudu division, the Divisional Police Officer, SP Celestina Nwankwo, deplored a team of policemen to the scene, where Friday was still found in pains.

The policemen as gathered, rushed him to the Gbagada General Hospital where he was only administered first aid. Further treatment could not be carried on dying Friday who was discovered to have had his stomach perforated in 11 places by the pellets.

From there, the policemen rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre , Ebute Metta, where they were told there was no bed space. By this time, he was looking pale and could barely speak.

Attempt, as gathered, was made to rush him to the Military Hospital but the policemen were said not to be with money.

DPO to the rescue

Unsure of what to do and where else to take dying Friday to, Crime Guard was informed that the policemen contacted the DPO, SP Celestina Nwankwo . She was said to have immediately driven to LASUTH , with the only cash on her.

A friend of the dying man said, “ immediately the DPO came, she was told there was no bed space. She was so angry that she ordered her men to drop Friday there. She also threatened to hold the hospital responsible if anything happened to my friend.

As she was about to leave, Friday, managed to turn and said, ‘ mummy please help me, don’t leave me to die’. She promised she would do all within her ability to ensure he lived”. A bed space was eventually created for him, where treatment started. But Friday was confronted with another challenge- blood transfusion! But by then , there was reportedly no blood in the hospital’s blood bank and there was also no donor.

Offers to donate blood

Determined to save Friday’s life, the female cop reportedly offered to donate her blood. But an emergency blood surfaced because of her intervention.

Crime Guard learned that after the operation which was done by 5.a.m, Friday’s organ failed and he was put on life support where he spent nine days at the Intensive Care Unit. Each day at the ICU costs N35,000. The DPO was said to have deposited N400,000 at the initial stage.

As at Thursday, she was said to have spent not less than N800,000 for his treatment. At about 5.30pm Friday, Crime Guard gathered that the hospital contacted the DPO to come and discharge Friday, with a balance of over N500,000.

In a telephone conversation with the patient on Thursday, all he could mutter was “ I would have been dead by now but for an angel of God that came in the form of the DPO, a woman I did not know from anywhere. Now, I believe that the Police are our friend”.

An act of kindness rendered to a robbery victim by SP Celestina Kalu, Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ogudu Police Station in Lagos was on Monday rewarded by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who personally invited the kind-hearted police officer to the State House for honor and recognition.

Sanwo-Olu described SP. Celestina Kalu, a Superintendent of Police, as “a humane police officer”, saying her decision to save the life of an orphan, Friday Ajabor, shot by a two-man robbery gang in Ojota, was a “matchless trait of compassion”.

The DPO’s act of kindness caught Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s attention after it went viral in the social media, prompting the Governor to reach out to the policewoman and the victim.

While honouring the DPO, Sanwo-Olu said SP. Kalu went beyond the limit of her official duty to save the life of the robbery victim, stressing that the policewoman’s effort was “the essence of public service” and “a true spirit of Lagos”.

The Governor said the policewoman demonstrated a rare example that should be emulated by every Lagosian, urging security operatives not to fall short of such act of kindness in the discharge of their duties to the citizens.

Sanwo-Olu said: “I am personally amazed by this rare act of kindness displayed by SP Celestina Kalu, who went beyond the official call of duty to save the life of a citizen using her personal resources. This is one of the essences of governance and public service when you have public officers going beyond the call of duty to render a helping hand to a fellow citizen.

“This is a rare trait of compassion by the DPO. We usually don’t get to witness such act of kindness, because every one of us is too overwhelmed by a myriad of personal challenges. When we see law enforcement officers giving us reasons to be kind, we need to appreciate and recognise such action. This is why we are honouring Mrs Kalu this morning as our role model. This will encourage others to emulate this act of kindness.

“Not only that she stopped to help the victim at the point of death, but she also went ahead to make a financial commitment that ensured immediate treatment of the victim at the hospital. We are happy that this effort paid off because the victim is alive and he is recuperating well.”

Sanwo-Olu presented a special plaque bearing the official seal of the Lagos State Government to honour the DPO, while also taking over the cost of Ajabor’s surgery.