Nurses and midwives have threatened to boycott night shifts following a weekend violent attack at a primary health facility in Akure, the state capital.
 
Unidentified gunmen had attacked Oke Ijebu Health Centre within Akure metropolis and assaulted medical personnel on duty and stole valuables.

With the development, Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Ondo State Council, Felix Orobode, issued the ultimatum on Sunday and called for immediate security improvement at all public health facilities.

Orobode described the incident as a clear sign of worsening insecurity in the state, particularly since it occurred in the heart of the capital.

He said: “For this to happen in Okejebu, the heart of Akure, shows clearly that we are facing serious security challenges.”
 
Orobode expressed concern over lack of adequate security personnel at public health facilities, noting that many centres depend on elderly guards without proper training or equipment.

“You can see the security man here, an elderly man, unarmed, without any security training. That is what we have in most of our facilities.

“We were told the attackers came and forced their way into the facility. The staff on duty were beaten and some were taken away.

“The government must act now. The primary responsibility of any government is the security of lives and property,” he said.

Orobode emphasised that fear among health workers could severely affect service delivery, as staff may hesitate to attend to patients during vulnerable hours.

He said that discussions had begun with the state’s Commissioner for Health and the Akure South Local Council Chairman to address the situation.

“When we spoke with the victims, they said they were dropped around Olokuta Prison along Ondo Road. That is what we reliably gathered. The victims were not formally rescued but found later after being abandoned by the attackers.