Benue CMD arrested, not abducted — PPRO

The Benue State Police Command said the Chief Medical Director of Multicare Hospital, Makurdi, Dr Jonah Ogbaji, was arrested by the Force Headquarters squad in Abuja.

In a terse statement issued Thursday morning by the Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, he said that the medical doctor was arrested by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, in connection with an undisclosed issue.

Social media had been awash with reports of the suspected abduction of the medical doctor around 9pm on Wednesday while he was attending to patients at his hospital along Ankpa Road, Makurdi.

The daughter, who simply identified herself as Patience, also told our correspondent on the phone that her father, who twice served as ex-officio of the Peoples Democratic Party, North Central, was abducted and prayed for his safe return.

But the state command spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondongu, in a statement later issued on Thursday, described the alleged abduction as a “false alarm.”

• Police arraign three suspects over $100,000 fraud
• IG urges stronger police-community partnership
• Enugu restricts movement for Saturday LG poll

The PPRO said, “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 at his hospital by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, in connection with an ongoing investigation.”

The PPRO said that the specific circumstances surrounding the investigation were yet to be known to the command.

The command advised the people of the state to disregard reports of the medical doctor’s alleged abduction or kidnapping.

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.