Suspected gunmen abduct six Ondo health workers in Akure

2026-03-28 - 07:45

By Dayo Johnson, Akure Suspected gunmen abducted six health workers from a health centre in Okeijebu, Akure, Ondo State, in the early hours of Saturday, plunging the community into panic. Eyewitnesses said the attackers, arriving in a bus around 2:00 a.m., forcefully entered the facility, overpowered staff, and rounded up health workers, including interns on night duty. 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. The victims were bundled into the vehicle and taken to an unknown location, prompting immediate concern in the area. Meanwhile, the state security outfit, Amotekun, conducted overnight operations in Akure South Local Government Area, 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 Oda-Akure road between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., were also freed by the Rapid Response Squad around 1:00 a.m. following a confrontation with the kidnappers. The rescued health workers are receiving treatment at the Amotekun health facility in Akure, the state commander, Adeleye, confirmed. 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. The Ondo State Police Command, through spokesperson DSP Jimoh Abayomi, had not issued a statement regarding the hospital abduction at the time of reporting.