Gunmen abduct two doctors in Benue

Gunmen on Friday abducted two medical doctors and a non-medical staff of the General Hospital, Okpoga, Okpokwu local government area of Benue State.

The victims were abducted while on their way home at the close of work from the hospital.

A source told journalists the medical personnel who were traveling in a vehicle ran into the hoodlums who had laid siege on the Ichama-Okpoga Road.

He said: “From what we heard, the armed men took over the road at about 7:00 p.m., laid a siege for their victims and unknown to the medical personnel they ran into the roadblock and were forcefully taken away by their abductors into the forest in that area.

“We believed that the people behind this are the same suspected armed herdsmen who are tormenting the people of Ado local government area where cases of kidnappings have been recorded recently.

“Moreover, these communities shared common boundaries which are surrounded by thick forests where these criminal elements disappear into whenever they commit a crime.

READ ALSO: Bandits kill 30 in Katsina villages

“The matter has been reported to the police in Okpoga who promised to rescue the victims though the local vigilante and youths of the area have also constituted a search party in order to rescue the medical personnel.”

The spokesman of the state police command, Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident, said police officers are on the trail of the abductors.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now