Gunmen kidnap medical doctor in Delta community

Medical workers at the Delta state owned hospital in Ojobo, Burutu Local Government Areas of the state had a bitter experience when gunmen stormed the health facility and kidnapped a medical doctor, Wisdom Viotete, early Monday morning.

The gang of eight who came into the hospital at about 12:30am through unusual routes in the creek, claimed that one of them was sick and needed to run a test for acute malaria.

While four of them moved to the ward, the others were inside the boat at the waterside unknown to the medical workers that they were feigning the sickness.

According to an eyewitness account, the abductors first held the nurse on duty and threatened to kill her if she raised any alarm.

As the process of running the test was going on, the criminals pulled out their guns and held up both the doctor and the labotatory technician.

However, the nurse managed to escape into the bush during the confusion that ensued.

The eyewitness further said that the kidnappers marched the doctor into their waiting speed boat at the waterside before zooming off.

It was gathered that security in the general hospital has remained porous for a long time as workers, especially doctors and nurses do their work at the mercy of God.

Reacting to the incident, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Ekenam Omo, described the incident as sad, saying that the association has written to the security agencies to expedite action in rescuing their colleague from the hands of the kidnappers.

Meanwhile the state Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onovwokpoyeya, said the command was not resting on its oars in ensuring that Dr. Viotete regains his freedom as investigation into the matter has been intensified.