The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has expressed concern about a growing threat to healthcare professionals’ safety, stating that a wider industrial crisis could arise if structural flaws revealed by the recent attack on a female doctor in Ogun State are not addressed.
The association said that the incident at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, goes beyond a single act of violence and reflects deeper institutional and security failures within Nigeria’s health sector in a statement released on Tuesday and signed by its president, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman.
The association issued its strongest condemnation of the incident, denouncing the attack as both shocking and barbaric. It described the act as a grave breach of human dignity, a violation of the sanctity of the medical profession, and a direct threat to the safety of healthcare workers.
According to the association, the victim—a female House Officer—was an innocent and committed young doctor who was deliberately targeted and violently assaulted after being identified as a member of the medical team that treated a patient who later died in the Accident and Emergency unit.
“This horrifying incident, reportedly carried out by a group of about seven men alleged to be students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, represents a gross violation,” NARD said.
Beyond condemning the assault, the association highlighted its wider implications for the healthcare system, cautioning that hospitals are rapidly becoming unsafe environments for medical professionals.
“Hospitals are sanctuaries of healing, not battlegrounds of violence,” the statement read, adding that 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 the development “strikes at the very core of the healthcare system” and called for firm and decisive action.
It also disclosed that it had already taken swift measures in response to the incident, including instructing its members at OOUTH, Sagamu, to withdraw their services.
“In line with our zero-tolerance stance on assaults against our members, all NARD members at OOUTH Sagamu, including House Officers, are hereby directed to embark on an immediate withdrawal of services until safety assurances are guaranteed,” it said.
The association demanded prompt justice, calling for the immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of all those involved in the heinous act, while emphasizing that justice must not only be done but must also be visibly upheld.
It further assigned responsibility to institutional authorities, urging the management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, to collaborate with security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book. The institution was also asked to take full responsibility for its students’ actions, including bearing the cost of the victim’s medical treatment and providing appropriate compensation.
In addition, the association called on the management of OOUTH, Sagamu, to urgently review and strengthen security within the hospital premises, stressing the importance of proactive measures to prevent a recurrence and to address pressing welfare concerns affecting doctors.
The association cautioned that failure to address its demands could trigger a wider escalation of the crisis, warning that inaction may lead to a regional and eventually national industrial dispute.
It reaffirmed its solidarity with members at OOUTH, while also expressing sympathy for the victim and wishing her a speedy recovery in all aspects—physically, emotionally, and professionally.
The association further called on governments at all levels to take urgent and decisive measures to safeguard healthcare workers, stressing that their safety is non-negotiable and that harm to one doctor affects the entire profession.
It concluded by reiterating that healthcare workers must be protected and that justice must be served.
