The health workers were allegedly rounded up by gunmen, who whisked them away in a waiting vehicle to an undisclosed location.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Suspected gunmen reportedly kidnapped no fewer than six health workers during a midnight attack on a medical facility in the Oke-Ijebu area of Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants arrived at approximately 2:00 a.m. in a bus, forcibly gaining access to the facility situated opposite Mega School.
The gunmen allegedly rounded up all staff on duty, including interns, and whisked them away in a waiting vehicle to an undisclosed location.
A patient who narrowly escaped described the operation as swift and precise, leaving little room for resistance.
“They came in a big bus and entered the hospital forcefully. Before anyone could react, they gathered all the staff on duty and took six of them away,” the witness recounted.
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The state security outfit, Amotekun, later conducted overnight operations in the Akure South Local Government Area, successfully rescuing three of the abducted health workers.
Two other victims—a 45-year-old man and his 15-year-old son—who were kidnapped earlier along Pelebe on the Oda-Akure road between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., were also freed following a confrontation with the kidnappers.
According to the state commander of the agency, Adetunji Adeleye, the rescued health workers and the other victims are currently receiving treatment at its medical facility. He reassured residents that the safety of lives and property remains a top priority and urged the public to provide timely information to security agencies to enhance collective safety.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command, through spokesperson DSP Jimoh Abayomi, has yet to issue a statement regarding the hospital abduction at the time of reporting.
