The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has sounded a serious warning over the safety of medical personnel, saying recent events have exposed dangerous gaps that could spark a wider industrial crisis if left unaddressed
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by its President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleiman, the group said the attack on a female doctor at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu is not an isolated case but evidence of deeper structural and security failures within the health sector.
The association condemned the incident in strong terms, describing it as shocking and barbaric, as well as a clear violation of human dignity, professional integrity, and the safety of healthcare workers.
According to NARD, the victim, a female House Officer, was a committed young doctor who became a target after being identified as part of the team that treated a patient who later died at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency unit.
The group noted that the assault was allegedly carried out by about seven men said to be students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, calling it a serious breach that goes beyond a single act of violence.
NARD emphasized that the incident highlights a growing pattern where hospitals, meant to be safe spaces for care, are turning into unsafe environments for medical staff.
Hospitals are sanctuaries of healing, not battlegrounds of violence. It is deeply disturbing that doctors, who continue to render selfless service under extremely challenging conditions — including delayed remuneration and overwhelming workloads — are now subjected to physical harm while discharging their duties.
The association warned that such developments strike at the core of the nation’s healthcare system and demand urgent and decisive intervention.
As part of its immediate response, NARD directed its members at the Sagamu facility to withdraw their services.
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