At least six health workers were abducted in the early hours of Saturday when suspected gunmen attacked a Primary Healthcare Centre in Akure, Ondo State.
The assailants reportedly stormed the facility located in the Oke Ijebu area of the state capital at about 2:00 a.m., catching both medical personnel and patients off guard.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen arrived in a vehicle, forced their way into the premises, and rounded up health workers who were on night duty, including nurses, interns, and other essential medical staff.
A patient who managed to escape the attack said some of the interns on duty were also taken. She described the operation as swift and coordinated, leaving little room for resistance.
“The incident happened around 2:00 a.m. They came in and forced people into a vehicle,” she recounted.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said security operatives responded promptly after receiving a distress call.
He disclosed that the victims had been rescued, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
“We were able to rescue the victims and we are on the trail of the perpetrators. I will give more details soon,” he said.
The incident triggered panic at the facility, forcing patients and nearby residents to flee for safety.
The attack has further heightened concerns over insecurity in Akure, with residents expressing fears about the vulnerability of public institutions, particularly healthcare facilities.
It also adds to a growing wave of kidnapping incidents across parts of Ondo State, raising fresh concerns about the safety of health workers and the urgent need to strengthen security in critical sectors.
