JUST IN: Gunmen abduct health workers in Akure hospital, police rescue victims
At least six health workers were abducted in the early hours of Saturday when suspected gunmen attacked a Primary Healthcare Centre in Akure, Ondo State. The assailants reportedly stormed the
- From Tosin Tope, Akure
At least six health workers were abducted in the early hours of Saturday when suspected gunmen attacked a Primary Healthcare Centre in Akure, Ondo State.
The assailants reportedly stormed the facility in the Oke Ijebu area of the state capital at about 2:00 a.m., catching medical personnel and patients unprepared.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen arrived in a vehicle, forced their way into the premises, and rounded up health workers on night duty.
Those taken included nurses, other essential medical staff, and interns assisting at the centre at the time of the incident.
A patient who escaped the attack said some of the interns on duty were also abducted. She described the operation as swift and coordinated, leaving little room for resistance.
“The incident happened around 2:00 a.m. They came in and forced people into a vehicle,” she said.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said security operatives responded promptly after receiving a distress call.
He disclosed that the victims have been rescued, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend those responsible.
“We were able to rescue the victims and we are on the trail of the perpetrators. I will give more details soon,” he said.
The incident caused panic at the facility, with patients and nearby residents fleeing for safety.
The attack has heightened concerns in Akure, as residents expressed fears over insecurity and the vulnerability of public institutions, including healthcare facilities.
The development added to a series of kidnapping incidents in parts of Ondo State, raising fresh concerns about the safety of health workers and the need for strengthened security across critical sectors.
