A medical doctor who was abducted in Auchi, Edo State, has regained his freedom, the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has confirmed.
Announcing the development on Wednesday, the NMA Chairman in the state, Dr. Eustace Oseghale, described the doctor’s release as a moment of immense relief for the medical community and the victim’s family.
Oseghale said the association worked closely with relevant stakeholders to secure the doctor’s freedom, noting that the successful outcome underscored the power of professional solidarity and collective action. He, however, declined to disclose details surrounding the circumstances of the release.
While welcoming the development, the NMA chairman expressed deep concern over the growing wave of attacks on medical doctors and other healthcare workers in Edo State and across the country.
He warned that persistent insecurity poses a grave threat not only to the lives of health professionals but also to the effective delivery of healthcare services, as many doctors now work under fear and uncertainty.
Oseghale urged the Edo State Government and security agencies to take firm, sustained, and proactive measures to curb criminal activities, particularly those targeting healthcare workers.
“Only decisive security interventions can put an end to these brazen acts of criminality against doctors and the wider society,” he said.
He added that the NMA would continue to advocate for the safety of its members while engaging authorities to ensure a secure and conducive working environment for healthcare professionals.
The doctor’s release comes amid heightened tension in the state following the abduction, in early January 2026, of Abu Babatunde Ibrahim and his younger brother, Abu Tahir. Ibrahim was later confirmed dead after his body was discovered by security operatives near a riverside.
In response to the incident, doctors across Edo State last week embarked on an industrial action, suspending medical services in parts of the state’s 18 local government areas. The strike was staged in protest against the abduction and killing of their colleague, as well as the worsening security situation.
Despite assurances from security agencies that efforts were underway to improve safety, the doctors said they could no longer operate in an atmosphere of fear.
The industrial action disrupted healthcare delivery, forcing many hospitals to operate at skeletal capacity and raising serious concerns among patients and their families.
Speaking to Channels Television, the Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors at the Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Dr. Paul Evbuomwan, said healthcare workers were increasingly exposed to danger and called on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect both medical personnel and residents of the state.
Concerns over the safety of healthcare workers have continued to mount nationwide. In November 2025, a consultant neurosurgeon at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Dr. Tochukwu Mbanugo, was abducted by gunmen after leaving work.
Similarly, in 2023, doctors in Cross River State withdrew their services following the kidnapping of a colleague from her residence in Calabar.
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