ABEOKUTA — Workers’ unions at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have announced a 72-hour warning strike following the stabbing of a Medical Laboratory Scientist, Mr. Lawal Toheeb Olasunkanmi, allegedly by a patient’s relative within the hospital.

The unions, under the Joint Action Committee (JAC), announced the industrial action in a position letter dated October 12, 2026, addressed to the Medical Director of the hospital, condemning the incident and demanding urgent measures to guarantee the safety of healthcare workers.

According to the letter, the strike commenced at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 12, and is scheduled to end on Thursday, October 15, at 8:00 a.m.

The unions described the alleged stabbing as an unacceptable act of violence against a healthcare professional performing his official duties, insisting that no worker should be subjected to physical attacks while providing essential medical services.

They expressed concern that a hospital established to save lives and promote healing had become a place where healthcare professionals could face threats to their personal safety while discharging their responsibilities.

The Joint Action Committee maintained that the incident went beyond an attack on the affected Medical Laboratory Scientist, describing it as an assault on the entire workforce of the institution.

The unions consequently called on the hospital management to ensure that the incident was formally reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, with a thorough investigation conducted and the alleged assailant brought to justice in accordance with the law.

They also demanded comprehensive medical care, psychological support where necessary, and appropriate institutional assistance for the injured worker throughout his recovery.

On security, the unions urged management to urgently review and strengthen existing arrangements across the hospital, particularly in clinical and laboratory areas, emergency units and other vulnerable locations.

They further called for effective access control, adequate deployment of security personnel and a functional mechanism for preventing and responding to attacks against healthcare workers.

The unions also demanded a clear institutional policy against threats, intimidation, harassment and physical assaults on staff, alongside established reporting procedures and collaboration with security agencies.

As part of their demands, they requested an urgent meeting with the hospital management to review security lapses, agree on concrete measures and establish clear timelines for implementing measures to protect workers.

Explaining the decision to embark on the warning strike, the committee said the action was intended to register the collective displeasure of its members, demand accountability and compel management to take meaningful steps towards addressing their security concerns.

The unions stressed that their action was not motivated by personal animosity or a desire for confrontation but by the need to protect lives, uphold the dignity of healthcare professionals and ensure a safe working environment for staff and patients.

They warned against allowing violence against healthcare personnel to become normalised, insisting that the protection of workers who dedicate themselves to saving lives must remain a priority.

The Joint Action Committee called on the Medical Director and the hospital’s management team to treat the matter with urgency, ensure accountability through due process and implement practical measures to prevent a recurrence.

The position letter was endorsed by representatives of the participating unions, including the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research and Allied Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

The unions urged management to respond promptly to their demands, warning that failure to address the concerns could further undermine industrial harmony and workers’ confidence in the hospital’s ability to protect them.

They maintained that the safety of healthcare workers was non-negotiable and called for an end to violence against personnel within the medical centre.