Gunmen abducted Dr. Abu Ibrahim Babatunde, a houseman at Edo State Teaching Hospital in Auchi, along with his brother Abu Tahir on January 2, 2026, right outside their residence in Ibira Camp. The attack, occurring around 8:30 p.m. on City Pride Road as Dr. Abu opened his gate post-shift, has sparked outrage amid Nigeria's escalating insecurity targeting professionals.
The brothers members of the Iyetse Clan from Utsogun were overpowered at gunpoint and dragged into nearby bushes despite resident screams, heightening Auchi community's panic post-New Year's celebrations. No ransom demands surfaced immediately, but family sources decried targeting a young doctor "serving humanity" as the sole crime. Similar to Niger State's school risks and Shehu Sani's migration warnings, this underscores healthcare worker perils.
Edo Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikoedem confirmed the distress call, deploying Auchi DPO with vigilantes, forest guards, and Community Safety Volunteers for round-the-clock forest sweeps since Friday night. "No stone unturned," she vowed, coordinating multi-agency hunts through dense terrains while urging public calm and tips. Operations mirror responses to recent Venezuelan strikes' precision but highlight Nigeria's grassroots security strains.
The kidnapping deepens Edo North's banditry woes, echoing 48 doctor abductions nationwide in recent years and fueling calls for federal intervention amid global Nigerian scrutiny. Families demand swift safe returns as healthcare delivery falters, paralleling Canada’s deportation surge over security perceptions. Auchi residents now avoid night travel amid 2026's violent start.