Government demands arrest of suspect in attack on health worker in Abeokuta

The federal government has urged the Nigeria Police Force to quickly arrest and prosecute the person who allegedly stabbed a health worker at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made this call in a statement on Monday night. The statement was issued by Ado Bako, the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Mr Salako condemned the stabbing of Lawal Olasunkanmi, a medical laboratory scientist at the hospital. He called the attack “barbaric and unacceptable.”

He said, “No grief, frustration or dissatisfaction with care can justify violence against a health worker performing his lawful duties.”

The minister added that the ministry would follow the case closely to ensure that the person accused of the attack faces justice. He mentioned that this incident highlighted the need to implement measures announced by the ministry on 5 August to improve the safety of health workers in federal tertiary health institutions.

These measures include better security arrangements, violence-prevention teams, incident reporting, working with law enforcement, and improving how complaints are handled. He said, “These safeguards must translate into effective protection for health personnel across health facilities.”

Mr Salako also asked health workers at FMC Abeokuta, who have gone on strike, to return to work immediately for the sake of patients and the community. He encouraged the workers to let security agencies do their job and continue the investigation.

The minister stressed that the hospital management should ensure the injured staff member gets the proper medical care and support. He also urged them to reinforce security measures as directed by the federal government.

He extended the government’s condolences to the family of the deceased patient, saying that the loss of a loved one deserves compassion and proper attention. Mr Salako encouraged anyone unhappy with the care received at the hospital to use the official complaints process.

He said such issues could be looked at fairly and resolved without violence. The minister emphasized that protecting health workers is key to providing safe and uninterrupted healthcare.

He pointed out that health facilities should be safe places where staff can work without fear of violence and where patients and their families can seek care confidently.