The House of Representatives has summoned the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, Dr. Olatunde Alabi, alongside key stakeholders, following an investigative report that exposed the facility’s critical state.
The action comes in response to a two-part exposé by PUNCH Healthwise, which detailed how outdated infrastructure and a lack of essential medical equipment have turned the hospital into what many described as a “death trap.”
Published on March 9 and 11, 2025, the report titled ‘How Obsolete Facilities Turn Kogi Federal Hospital to Death House’ revealed distressing conditions, including the absence of basic medical supplies, malfunctioning or missing life-saving equipment, and a general collapse in the quality of care.
According to findings, patients at the hospital, many of whom seek specialist treatment are often left helpless due to the unavailability of modern tools and drugs. In one tragic account, a patient named Benjamin Ayodele reportedly died after being unable to receive dialysis due to the absence of necessary consumables.
In reaction to the revelations, the House Committee on Health Institutions issued a summons to the hospital’s leadership and relevant health unions, including the Nigerian Medical Association and the Joint Health Sector Union. The emergency session is scheduled for March 13, 2024, at the National Assembly.
A letter signed by Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs, Abbas Hakilu, confirmed that the invitation stemmed from a formal petition submitted against the institution.
Undercover reporters who visited the hospital disguised as patients and relatives described the environment as grim. They noted a near-empty blood bank, a pharmacy with scarce medications, and a visibly exhausted and demotivated medical workforce.
The investigation also highlighted claims of corruption, favouritism, and internal mismanagement, further complicating the hospital’s ability to function effectively. The physical condition of the hospital’s buildings has been described as dangerously unstable, sparking fears of structural collapse.
With the House now involved, citizens and healthcare advocates await meaningful action that could restore the Lokoja facility to a standard befitting its federal status and original purpose; saving lives, not endangering them.
