The Medical Director of Multicare Hospital, Makurdi, Benue State, Dr. Jonah Ogbaji, who was initially reported to have been abducted while attending to patients, has been found in police custody.
Ogbaji was reportedly taken from the hospital premises at Ankpa Quarters Ward, Makurdi, on Wednesday night, prompting concerns among his family and colleagues.
A daughter of the medical director had raised the alarm after he was reportedly taken away by individuals who arrived at the hospital in a Toyota Sienna vehicle.
Following the development, the family was said to have visited several police stations within Makurdi in an attempt to determine his whereabouts.
The daughter later informed journalists that the family received information indicating that her father had been taken away by police operatives deployed from Abuja. She said the reason for his arrest was not immediately known to the family.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the Benue State Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, clarified that the doctor was not abducted but arrested by a special police squad in connection with an ongoing investigation.
“The Command has received enquiries regarding reports of the alleged abduction of a medical doctor and owner of a hospital in Makurdi.
“Upon verification, the report is false. The doctor was not abducted. He was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) at his hospital by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) attached to the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja, in connection with an ongoing investigation.
“The specific circumstances surrounding the investigation are not yet known to the Command.
“Members of the media and the general public are therefore advised to disregard reports of his alleged abduction or kidnapping, as they are false,” the PPRO stated.
The police clarification effectively dispelled earlier reports that the medical director had been kidnapped, although the details of the investigation leading to his arrest remain undisclosed.