By Raymond Ken-Mbata
The Federal Government has condemned the reported stabbing of a medical laboratory scientist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged assailant.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, condemned the attack on Mr. Lawal Toheeb Olasunkanmi in a statement issued by the ministry on October 12, 2026.
Salako described the incident as unacceptable, stressing that dissatisfaction with medical care or the loss of a loved one could not justify violence against healthcare workers performing their duties.
He called on the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the incident and ensure that the suspect was brought to justice. The minister also said the ministry would follow the case to ensure that appropriate legal action was taken.
The incident, according to the ministry, highlights the need to strengthen security in public health facilities and implement measures earlier directed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on August 5, 2026.
The measures include improved security arrangements, violence-prevention teams, incident-reporting systems, closer collaboration with law-enforcement agencies and better procedures for handling complaints from patients and their relatives.
Salako urged hospital managements to ensure that these measures translated into effective protection for medical personnel and other healthcare workers across federal tertiary institutions.
He also appealed to health workers who had embarked on industrial action at FMC Abeokuta to return to work in the interest of patients and the wider public, while allowing security authorities to conduct their investigation.
The minister further urged the hospital’s management to ensure that the injured staff member received appropriate medical care and support, alongside strengthening security in line with federal government directives.
While condemning the attack, Salako expressed the Federal Government’s condolences to the family of the deceased patient involved in the incident. He acknowledged the pain associated with losing a loved one and urged anyone dissatisfied with medical care to use the hospital’s formal complaints procedures.
He maintained that complaints should be investigated fairly and addressed on their merits rather than through violence.
The ministry reiterated that protecting health workers was essential to safe and uninterrupted healthcare delivery, stressing that hospitals must remain secure environments where medical personnel can perform their duties without fear and patients can seek treatment with confidence.
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