Medical practitioner, Dr. Wisdom Iboyitete, who was
abducted by gunmen who invaded a public hospital in a riverside community in
Burutu area of Delta State a week ago, has been freed by the criminals.
Iboyitete was reportedly whisked away in a speedboat
in the wee hours of June 1, 2020 by the kidnappers who went to the state
General Hospital in Ojobo, Burutu Local Government Area while pretending to be
helping a sick man.
The state Secretary of the National Association of
Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), Dr. Ikechukwu
Okoh, confirmed the release of the abducted colleague on Sunday in Asaba,
though he could not give details.
It could not also be confirmed as at the time of
filing this report if the ransom of
N5million, which was demanded from the distraught family by the kidnappers, was
eventually paid to secure the doctor’s freedom.
NAGGMDP, an affiliate of the Nigeria Medical
Association (NMA), had last Thursday threatened an indefinite strike in protest
against the abduction of the doctor.
The state police command also said it was on the
trail of the criminals even while the Ojobo community residents said they were
trying to get the kidnappers to release the doctor unconditionally.
The state of kidnapping and other criminal
activities in some parts of the state is partly responsible for the decision of
the state government to set up an independent joint security outfit code-named
Operation Delta Hawk.
The state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has since set
up two security committees comprising all stakeholders, including the Nigeria
Police Force and other national security agencies as well as paramilitary
personnel, vigilance groups and traditional rulers under the auspices of the
Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers.
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