Gunmen on Monday abducted the Chief Medical Director of the Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State, Prof. Sylvanus Okogbenin, after killing two policemen attached to him.

The Medical Director was said to be travelling to Benin.

This is coming on the heel of a similar abduction of two Assistant Directors of the hospital last week and their subsequent release after payment of ransom.
Two other persons in the convoy whose identities were yet to be ascertained were shot in the leg.

An eyewitness said the gunmen abducted Prof. Okogbenin after killing the policemen.

The incident happened at Ramat Park Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area while the CMD was coming to Benin.

Police Spokesmen, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said an investigation into the incident has commenced.

Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospital Research Institute and Associated Institutions of Nigeria, Irrua branch, Comrade Emmanuel Igiechi, said the union would protest against insecurity in the area.

Comrade Igiechi said the abduction showed that the workers at the hospital were being monitored.

“This tells us how serious the security situation has become. It is a very dire situation we are in. The security agencies should strengthen their presence in Irrua and environs,” Igiechi said