IGP Orders Investigation into Alleged Assault, Attempted Murder at FMC Abeokuta

The Inspector-General of Police has directed a formal investigation into an alleged assault and attempted murder case involving a senior nursing officer at the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The order follows a demand for justice by the Elegant Nurses Forum, which confirmed the probe after earlier media reports. The group described the IGP’s intervention as a noteworthy and responsible step.

According to a statement by the forum’s representative, Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, the case centers on an incident involving the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer. However, the forum reported significant obstruction when police attempted to question the Head of Nursing Services, who is allegedly connected to the case.

The ENF alleged that FMC’s Chief Security Officer and other management officials resisted the police invitation, insisting that all communication must follow Public Service Rules through the CSO’s office. The nurses’ group condemned this as a troubling attempt to undermine the criminal investigation.

“Attempted murder is not a minor infraction that can be delayed or brushed aside by bureaucratic technicalities,” the ENF stated. They emphasized that criminal allegations fall under police jurisdiction, regardless of a suspect’s rank within the civil service.

Further complicating the case, the forum revealed that an audio recording is circulating in which the suspect allegedly expresses no remorse and claims to have high-level political protection, suggesting the matter will be buried. The ENF has called for a forensic examination of this recording.

The group outlined several demands to ensure a transparent process, including an unimpeded police investigation, the temporary stepping aside of the implicated Head of Nursing Services, protection for witnesses, and a public clarification from FMC management regarding their response to police inquiries.

“Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done,” the forum stated, vowing to monitor the case closely. They warned that any attempt to shield suspects erodes public trust and undermines the ethics of the healthcare profession.

The Nigeria Police Force has yet to release an official statement detailing the progress of the investigation.