Lagos police detain two health workers after they reported bandit threat to health centre

Two health workers at a primary healthcare centre in the Ijede area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, were detained by police after they reported a potential security threat to the facility.

The affected workers, a nurse and a laboratory attendant, were taken into custody by officers attached to a police station in the area following an incident on Thursday evening.

According to accounts from the facility, a pregnant woman and her husband arrived at the health centre seeking medical attention. Shortly after they arrived at the gate, three unidentified men suspected to be bandits approached them and demanded to know who managed the facility.

When the couple said they did not know, one of the men reportedly told them to inform whoever they met that they should be ready because the men would return the following day.

The couple later informed nurses on duty. The health workers escalated the matter through community security channels and to the police. Fearing the threat, several staff members left the facility that night.

The next morning, police officers arrived at the health centre and questioned the nurse who had relayed the information. The workers were taken to a general hospital where the pregnant woman confirmed the account.

They were then taken to the police station, where they were held for several hours. One worker was released due to childcare responsibilities, while the nurse and the laboratory attendant remained in custody.

Local government officials later intervened, and the two health workers were granted bail. However, a nursing association has condemned the detention, stating that the workers acted responsibly by reporting a security threat and should have been commended rather than treated as suspects.

The group called for an investigation into the incident and increased security around health facilities.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Lagos State Police Command were unsuccessful at the time of this report.