Medical services have been crippled at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, and its Akure Annex as doctors commenced a 72-hour warning strike following the alleged assault of a medical doctor by a patient's relative within the hospital premises.

It was gathered on Monday that the industrial action, which began on Sunday, has left patients stranded and disrupted healthcare delivery across the two facilities, with doctors insisting they will not resume work until those responsible for the attack are arrested and adequate security measures are put in place.

The strike followed an incident in which a doctor on duty was allegedly attacked by the wife of a patient. Hospital sources said the situation escalated when some individuals reportedly stormed the facility in search of the doctor after the initial assault.

According to sources, hospital staff hurriedly moved the doctor to a secure location within the facility to prevent further attacks as tensions heightened.

A source within the hospital said the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), FMC Owo, resolved to embark on the warning strike over the incident and what members described as growing threats to the safety of healthcare workers.

"The strike will continue until those responsible are brought to justice and adequate security is provided, especially around the Accident and Emergency Unit," the source said.

Another doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, lamented the worsening security situation in the hospital, noting that manpower shortages have further increased pressure on the few available medical personnel.

He disclosed that the assaulted doctor had been single-handedly overseeing both the Accident and Emergency Unit and the General Out-Patient Department throughout the weekend, attending to numerous patients under challenging conditions.

"Many doctors are now worried about their safety. It is becoming increasingly difficult to work under these circumstances without proper security protection," he said.

Another source alleged that the attackers continued to search for the doctor even after he had been taken to safety, claiming that threats were made against his life.

Following an emergency general meeting held on May 30, 2026, the ARD announced a total warning strike and condemned what it described as a disturbing pattern of violence against healthcare professionals.

In a communiqué signed by its President, Dr. Adeola Oluwadamilola, and Secretary-General, Dr. Dare Aderemi, the association said the doctor was allegedly slapped repeatedly and manhandled by a patient and the patient's daughter.

The doctors described the incident as "another sad reminder of the increasing violence healthcare workers face while carrying out their duties," noting that it was the second reported assault on a doctor at the institution this year.

Among its demands, the association called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the alleged perpetrators, deployment of armed security personnel to the hospital and its annexes, a public apology by the alleged assailant in a national newspaper, and adequate compensation for the victim.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) threw its weight behind the strike, describing the alleged attack as criminal, reprehensible and unacceptable.

In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, the national body alleged that the doctor's clothes were torn, that he was repeatedly slapped and humiliated, and that individuals linked to the incident later mobilised thugs to continue the assault while issuing threats against his life.

NARD warned that the increasing attacks on healthcare workers pose a serious danger to Nigeria's already fragile healthcare system and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those involved.

The association also demanded improved security across health facilities nationwide, compensation and psychological support for the victim, warning that failure by authorities to decisively tackle the growing trend could trigger wider industrial action across the country.