By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has demanded justice for one of its members, Dr Adeniyi A., a registrar assaulted in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, describing the incident as a direct attack on the medical profession and Nigeria’s healthcare system.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NARD said Dr Adeniyi was physically attacked while on duty at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital on February 5, 2026, allegedly by relatives of a surgical patient.
According to the association, the assault occurred while the doctor was carrying out his professional duties, an act NARD said was “reprehensible, barbaric, and deeply disturbing,” particularly because it happened within a hospital setting meant to protect life, safety and dignity.
“Hospitals must not become killing fields,” the association said, warning that violence against healthcare workers had become a recurring and dangerous pattern across the country.
NARD also blamed what it described as grossly inadequate security measures in many health facilities for exposing doctors and other health workers to harm.
The association said it could no longer tolerate a situation in which resident doctors are attacked while providing essential services to Nigerians, adding that assaults on its members would no longer be met with “silence or indifference.”
NARD commended the leadership and members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at FMC Owo for their unity and prompt response to the incident and issued a set of demands it described as non-negotiable.
These include full compensation for the assaulted doctor, complete coverage of all medical expenses arising from the incident, an immediate upgrade of security across FMC Owo, and the arrest and prosecution of all those involved.
The association warned that failure to meet these demands would compel it to take “all legitimate actions necessary” to protect its members and defend the sanctity of medical practice in Nigeria.
NARD President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman and Secretary-General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim assured resident doctors at FMC Owo of the association’s “total, unwavering solidarity and full institutional support” as they pursue justice.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” the statement said, while offering prayers for Adeniyi’s quick and complete recovery.
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