FG Cracks Down on Attacks Against Health Workers, Warns Offenders of Prosecution

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate implementation of nationwide measures to safeguard healthcare workers, warning that anyone who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or harasses medical personnel will face investigation and possible prosecution under Nigerian law.

The directive followed the submission of the report of the Ministerial Committee on the Harassment of Health Workers by Security Personnel, established after an incident involving operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Akwa Ibom State, in May 2026. The incident disrupted clinical services and sparked industrial action by health workers.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, disclosed that the committee uncovered 18 reported cases of assault, intimidation, and harassment across federal tertiary health institutions within the past year.

According to the report, the attacks involved patients, relatives, members of the public, and security personnel, resulting in physical injuries, psychological trauma, damage to hospital property, disruption of healthcare services, and industrial disputes.

The committee identified several factors fueling the incidents, including poor communication, prolonged patient waiting times, inadequate staffing, weak infrastructure, emotional distress, abuse of authority, and the absence of clear security protocols in health facilities.

Kachollom said the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has accepted the committee’s recommendations and directed their immediate implementation through a comprehensive action plan.

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She stressed that healthcare workers must be able to perform their duties in a safe and secure environment, free from violence, intimidation, and harassment.

“The Federal Government will continue to work with relevant institutions to protect our health workforce, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that healthcare delivery is never be compromised,” she said.

Among the key recommendations, the committee called on federal tertiary health institutions to strengthen internal security, establish violence prevention teams, promptly report incidents, train staff on conflict management, and ensure that perpetrators of attacks on healthcare workers are investigated and prosecuted.

The  Cable report that the ministry also announced that broader policy proposals from the committee would be presented to the National Council on Health for nationwide adoption.

The latest directive follows growing concerns over attacks on medical personnel. In May, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) urged the Presidency to mandate the strict prosecution of anyone who assaults healthcare workers or invades health facilities, describing the increasing violence against medical professionals as a serious threat to Nigeria’s healthcare system.

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