The Federal Government has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged assailant who stabbed a medical laboratory scientist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The government also urged health workers who embarked on industrial action at the hospital following the incident to return…...
The Federal Government has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged assailant who stabbed a medical laboratory scientist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The government also urged health workers who embarked on industrial action at the hospital following the incident to return to work, saying patients and the wider public should not be left without essential medical services.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the appeals in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Monday, October 12, 2026.
The statement, signed by the ministry’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, identified the injured health worker as Lawal Toheeb Olasunkanmi, a medical laboratory scientist at the hospital.
Salako condemned the reported stabbing, describing the attack as unacceptable and insisting that disagreements over medical care must not result in violence against healthcare personnel.
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He said, “no grief, frustration or dissatisfaction with care can justify violence against a health worker performing his lawful duties.”
The minister called on the Nigeria Police Force to ensure the suspect was arrested swiftly, adding that the ministry would monitor the case to ensure justice was served.
According to the statement, the incident also highlights the need to enforce measures earlier directed by the ministry on August 5, 2026, to improve the protection of health workers in federal tertiary hospitals.
The measures include improved security arrangements, violence-prevention teams, incident reporting systems, collaboration with law-enforcement agencies and better procedures for handling complaints.
Salako stressed that the safeguards must provide effective protection for health personnel across healthcare facilities.
“The Minister also appealed to health workers who have embarked on industrial action at FMC Abeokuta to return to work immediately in the interest of patients and the wider public,” the statement said.
He urged the striking workers to allow security agencies to conduct their investigation, while calling on the hospital management to ensure that Olasunkanmi receives appropriate medical care and support.
The minister also asked the management to strengthen security arrangements in line with the Federal Government’s directives.
Extending the government’s condolences to the family of the deceased patient involved in the incident, Salako said the loss of a loved one deserved compassion and appropriate attention.
He urged patients and their relatives with complaints about healthcare services to use the hospital’s formal complaint-handling channels rather than resort to violence.
The ministry reiterated that the safety of healthcare workers was essential to uninterrupted service delivery.
“Health facilities must remain safe environments where personnel can discharge their duties without fear of violence, and where patients and their families can seek care with confidence,” the statement added.