Gunmen have abducted Dr. Tochukwu Mbanugo, a consultant neurosurgeon at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, in an alarming incident that has drawn condemnation from the federal government and the medical community.
Dr. Mbanugo was kidnapped on October 30, 2025, along the New Nnewi-Oba Road while returning home from a long day in the operating theatre. Sources say the highly respected surgeon was heading home when armed men intercepted him and forced him into an unknown location.
Reacting to the abduction, the Federal Ministry of Health described the incident as a “direct assault on the nation’s health security and a threat to our collective wellbeing.” In a statement signed by Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the ministry said: “His abduction occurred at the very point where he should have been safest: returning home from serving humanity.”
The statement added that the abductors later contacted some of Dr. Mbanugo’s colleagues using his phone, highlighting the organised nature of the crime.
Authorities have been immediately alerted. The matter has been formally reported to the Anambra State Police Command, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police anti-kidnapping squad, and local vigilante groups. NAUTH management is collaborating closely with these security agencies, the Nigerian Medical Association, and other stakeholders to ensure the safe release of Dr. Mbanugo.
The federal ministry emphasised the critical shortage of neurosurgeons in Nigeria. “The country currently has less than 150 practising neurosurgeons serving a population of over 220 million people,” the statement said. “Against the WHO benchmark of one neurosurgeon per 100,000 people, Nigeria has approximately one neurosurgeon per 1.9 million citizens. This makes every specialist we have invaluable.”
The ministry added that attacks on healthcare professionals directly endanger the nation’s health system. “Our health workforce—doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals—are national assets working under immense pressure to save lives. They must be protected and respected, not harmed or hunted,” the statement noted.
Salako urged the Anambra State government and security agencies to intensify efforts to locate Dr. Mbanugo and ensure his immediate and safe release, “unharmed and unconditionally.”
The abduction has sparked outrage among medical professionals and the public, who have called for stronger protection for doctors, especially specialists working in critical fields. Many have taken to social media to express concern, warning that such incidents could worsen Nigeria’s already fragile health system.
