The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has condemned the alleged assault on doctors and healthcare workers at the Emergency Department of University College Hospital, describing the incident as a serious attack on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, the association described the incident as “barbaric” and “reprehensible.”
According to NARD, the incident occurred on Friday, May 15, 2026, following the death of a patient identified as Opeyemi Ibrahim.
The association alleged that a relative of the deceased, identified as Sarafa Oyenigba, became violent and attacked healthcare workers on duty at the hospital’s emergency unit.
NARD said the assault affected several medical personnel, including Dr. Oladapo Olatunbosun, a Senior Registrar in Emergency Medicine, and Dr. Mololuwa Adebayo, a Registrar in Emergency Medicine.
Other affected staff were said to include a Deputy Director of Nursing, security personnel, and the hospital’s Service Manager.
The association further alleged that some healthcare workers were stripped during the attack, while emergency services at the department were temporarily disrupted.
According to the statement, the suspect had earlier verbally abused staff members before the situation escalated into physical violence.
NARD commended the Association of Resident Doctors UCH Ibadan for its swift response and also praised the management of UCH for facilitating the arrest of the suspect and maintaining what it described as zero tolerance for violence against healthcare workers.
The association declared full solidarity with the resident doctors at UCH and backed the warning strike action declared by the association, insisting that “an injury to one doctor is an injury to all doctors.”
NARD called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure thorough prosecution of the suspect and any accomplices, warning against attempts to downplay or privately settle the matter.
The association also expressed concern over what it described as increasing attacks on healthcare workers across Nigeria, urging the Federal Government and relevant ministries to strengthen security in hospitals and enforce stricter punishment for assaults on medical personnel.
NARD warned that failure to address the situation could trigger wider industrial actions by doctors nationwide.
The association also sympathised with the affected doctors and healthcare workers and urged them to seek medical and psychological support following the incident.
