The Kogi state government says the attack at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) today Wednesday, July 1, was by relatives of patients abandoned by the staff of the hospital.

LIB had earlier reported that unknown gunmen stormed the health facility, carted away vital documents as well as phones and laptops of staff and patients in the hospital. The gunmen also disrupted a COVID-19 press conference earlier scheduled by the management of the hospital.

In a statement released this afternoon, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the attack was by protesting family members of patients in the hospital. His statement reads

“The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to the unfortunate scuffle between the Staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja and some patients’ relatives at the hospital, this morning.

Preliminary findings revealed that the violence ensued when relations of patients in the medical facility protested against the failure of the management of the hospital to attend to them.

Many people in the emergency ward were left unattended to and a mother delivered at the gate of the hospital.

That generated a lot of public tension in the state.Tension started building since yesterday when patients and their relatives learnt of a plan by the medical staff to stage a protest today, seeking protection from COVID-19.

We urge the people of the state to remain calm as government will ensure maintenance of law and order.

We also sue for calm and urge medical authorities to remain committed to their medical profession and responsibilities as Government will protect them in order to give them the confidence to deliver.

Healthcare management must never be politicized. Also, government will carry out further investigations to ascertain the remote causes of the breach of peace by the protesters and also address their fears.”