A medical doctor abducted in Auchi, Edo State, has regained his freedom, the Edo State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has confirmed.
The association’s chairman, Eustace Oseghale, announced the development on Wednesday, describing the release as a moment of relief for the medical community and the doctor’s family. He noted that the NMA worked closely with relevant stakeholders to secure the doctor’s freedom, highlighting the importance of professional solidarity and collective action. Details of how the doctor was freed were not disclosed.
While welcoming the outcome, Oseghale expressed concern over the rising attacks on healthcare workers in Edo State and across Nigeria. He warned that persistent insecurity not only endangers medical personnel but also disrupts healthcare delivery, as many doctors now operate under fear.
He urged the Edo State Government and security agencies to adopt decisive, sustained measures to curb criminal activities targeting healthcare workers. “Only proactive security interventions can halt these brazen acts against doctors and society at large,” Oseghale said, adding that the NMA would continue to advocate for a safe working environment for its members.
The release comes after heightened tension in the state following the early January 2026 abduction of Abu Babatunde Ibrahim and his younger brother, Abu Tahir. Ibrahim was later confirmed dead, prompting doctors across Edo State to embark on industrial action, suspending medical services in several local government areas in protest against the growing insecurity.
Paul Evbuomwan, chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors at Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, emphasized the urgent need for security agencies to protect healthcare workers and residents alike.
Attacks on medical personnel have been rising nationwide. In November 2025, a consultant neurosurgeon at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Dr. Tochukwu Mbanugo, was kidnapped, and in 2023, doctors in Cross River State suspended services following the abduction of a colleague in Calabar.
