FG Demands Arrest Of Suspect In FMC Abeokuta Stabbing

The Federal Government has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the suspect involved in the stabbing of a Medical Laboratory Scientist, Lawal Toheeb Olasunkanmi, at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Naija News reports that the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the demand while condemning the attack on the health worker.

The minister’s position was contained in a statement issued by the ministry’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako.

Salako described the incident as an unacceptable act of violence, stating that disagreements over medical treatment or services should never lead to attacks on health workers.

He noted that medical personnel must be able to carry out their responsibilities in a safe environment without fear of being assaulted while attending to patients.

According to the minister, patients and their relatives who are dissatisfied with the services provided by a hospital should report their grievances through the appropriate channels rather than resort to violence.

He urged the Nigeria Police Force to ensure the suspect is arrested without delay and prosecuted in accordance with the law. He also assured that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would monitor the case to ensure that justice is served.

The minister said the incident had brought renewed attention to the need to protect health workers across federal tertiary hospitals in the country.

He recalled that the ministry issued measures on August 5, 2026, to improve the safety of medical personnel and prevent violence in healthcare facilities.

The measures include better security arrangements, the creation of teams responsible for preventing violence, improved systems for reporting attacks and closer cooperation between hospital authorities and law enforcement agencies.

They also include strengthening the procedures through which patients and their relatives can submit complaints and seek solutions to problems encountered during treatment.

Salako called on hospital administrators to ensure that the measures were properly implemented, stressing that the safety guidelines must provide real protection for health workers rather than remain on paper.

The minister also appealed to health workers who had embarked on industrial action at FMC Abeokuta following the incident to return to their duties immediately.

He said their decision to resume work would help protect the interests of patients and members of the public who depend on the hospital for medical services.