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The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has condemned the stabbing of a Medical Laboratory Scientist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun dtate, demanding immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged assailant.
The victim, Mr. Lawal Toheeb Olasunkanmi, was reportedly attacked at the facility, an incident the ministry described as “barbaric and unacceptable.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said no grief, frustration or dissatisfaction with care can justify violence against a health worker performing his lawful duties.
Salako called on the Nigeria Police Force to ensure swift arrest of the suspect and affirmed that the ministry would follow the case to ensure justice is served.
He said the incident reinforces the urgency of implementing measures directed by the ministry on August 5, 2026 to strengthen protection of health workers in federal tertiary health institutions.
According to him, the measures include strengthened security arrangements, violence-prevention teams, incident reporting, collaboration with law-enforcement agencies and improved complaint-handling procedures.
“These safeguards must translate into effective protection for health personnel across health facilities,” the minister stressed.
The minister appealed to health workers who have embarked on industrial action at FMC Abeokuta over the incident to return to work immediately in the interest of patients and the wider public, urging them to allow security agencies to carry out investigation.
He also urged the hospital management to ensure that the injured staff receives appropriate medical care and support, and to strengthen security arrangements in line with Federal Government directives.
Salako extended the Federal Government’s condolences to the family of the deceased patient whose death allegedly triggered the attack, stressing that the loss of a loved one deserves compassion and appropriate attention.
He urged anyone with concerns about care received to use the hospital’s formal complaints mechanism where such issues can be examined fairly without recourse to violence.
“The Ministry reiterates that protecting health workers is essential to safe and uninterrupted healthcare 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.
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