Police in Edo State have arrested additional suspects linked to the abduction of a medical doctor in Auchi, a crime that also led to the killing of the doctor’s younger brother, after the suspects were allegedly identified by the victim at the hospital where he works.
The arrests followed an unusual turn of events in which the suspects reportedly took a sick child to the same hospital where the abducted doctor, Dr. Abu Ibrahim Babatunde, was on duty. Upon seeing them at the facility, the doctor is said to have recognised the individuals as members of the gang responsible for his abduction weeks earlier. Hospital authorities were immediately alerted, leading to the intervention of security personnel and the arrest of the suspects.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eno Ikoedem, said the arrests were part of ongoing investigations into the January 2026 kidnapping case.
According to the police, the abduction occurred on January 2, 2026, when Dr. Babatunde and his younger brother, Abu Tahir, were seized by armed men at their residence on City Pride Road in the Igbira Camp area of Auchi. The brothers were reportedly attacked while opening the gate to their compound in the evening.
Days after the abduction, the incident took a tragic turn when the body of Abu Tahir was discovered on January 5 near the Orley River, also along City Pride Road. Police say he was killed by the abductors, sparking outrage and grief within the Auchi community and beyond.
Dr. Babatunde was later released after a ransom reportedly amounting to N50 million was paid. At the time of his abduction, he had recently completed medical school and was awaiting the commencement of his housemanship.
ASP Ikoedem disclosed that police had earlier made a breakthrough in the case on February 3, 2026. She said operatives of the Auchi Divisional Police Command, working with local hunters and vigilante groups, carried out a bush-combing operation at Warake Forest, where one suspect, identified as Saminu Kawujie, was intercepted.
“A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of two knives, two mobile phones, one UBA ATM card and the sum of N20,250,” the police spokesperson said. An identification parade was subsequently organised, during which Dr. Babatunde identified Kawujie as one of his abductors.
Building on that arrest, police said they received fresh intelligence that led to the apprehension of two more suspects on February 8, 2026, at about 9:00 a.m. The Divisional Police Officer reportedly mobilised officers to the Specialist Hospital in Auchi, where the suspects had gone seeking medical care for their child.
The suspects were identified as Idris Abubakar and Sani Abubakar. According to the police, both men were recognised by Dr. Babatunde as members of the gang that abducted him. ASP Ikoedem added that Idris Abubakar was specifically identified as the person who collected the ransom money paid for the doctor’s release.
Police say all three suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations. Efforts are also ongoing to track down other members of the gang believed to have participated in the crime.
The case has renewed concerns over kidnapping and violent crime in parts of Edo State, particularly along highways and residential areas in the northern axis of the state. Residents have called for increased security patrols and stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local vigilante groups.
The Edo State Police Command has assured the public of its commitment to bringing all those responsible for the abduction and killing to justice, while urging residents to continue providing timely information that could assist ongoing security operations.
Source: Africa Publicity
