Nigeria Content Online

Patients undergoing
treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) are in
for a tough time as doctors have stopped working, until the Chief
Medical Director, who was kidnapped on Tuesday, is released. The
abduction of the Director, Michael Ibadin, came on the heels of a
directive by the Oba of Benin to palace diviners to collaborate with
the state government in the fight against kidnapping for ransom in the
state.

NEXT gathered that
Dr. Ibadin was kidnapped in the early hours of yesterday in front of
his residence at the Isiohor axis of Benin City, as he was about to
leave for work. According to reports, his abductors, who came in a
Volkswagen Audi 80 saloon car, intercepted the official vehicle of the
CMD, and ordered his police orderly to open the door.The police
orderly’s hesitation allegedly prompted the abductors to use the butt
of their guns to break the side glass of the official car and
forcefully open the doors. They then dragged out the CMD before taking
him and his driver away. At the time of going to press, the abductors
were yet to make any contact, either with their victims’ families or
with the officials of the teaching hospital.

Great embarrassment

Following the
kidnap, a staff of the hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity,
said the authorities of the health institution have decided that all
activities should stop until the unconditional release of their CMD is
effected. “I will advise relatives of patients in the hospital for
their interest to come and discharge them as the hospital would close
its door to any would-be patients,” he announced, just as he declared
patients that are already in the hospital would not be attended to.

A report said one
of the doctors at the hospital allegedly assaulted the husband of a
pregnant woman waiting to be delivered of her baby, after the man
pleaded with the doctor to attend to his wife. In their attempt to
report the fracas that ensued over the assault, several journalists
were manhandled by both doctors and administrative workers in the ward.

The public relations office of the state police command could not be
reached for comment, but a police source said the authorities were
doing their best to see how they can track the kidnappers, as the
incident was a great embarrassment to them.