KOGI State Government has reacted to the attack on Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja Wednesday morning by suspected gunmen, insisting that the attack was not by hoodlums but aggrieved relatives of abandoned patients in the hospital.

“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,”  said Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication.

Fanwo in a statement after the incident said the relatives of the patients only embarked on a protest at the hospital.

“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,” he said.

According to him, the 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.

Fanwo, however, assured citizens of the state of the government’s effort to maintain law and order and also  pleaded with them to remain calm.

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

He also advised against  the healthcare management politicizing the system while urging the medical authorities to remain committed to their profession and responsibilities stating that government will protect them in order to give them the confidence to deliver their duties.

Fanwo concluded with assuring that the state government would carry out further investigation to understand the grievances of the protesters.

“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.”