SUSPECTS IN AUCHI DOCTOR KIDNAP PLOT NABBED AFTER DOCTOR RECOGNISES THEM AT HOSPITAL

Police in Edo State have arrested three suspected kidnappers connected with the abduction of a medical doctor, Dr. Ibrahim Babatunde Abu, and the killing of his younger brother in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area.

According to a statement by the Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the arrests were made following sustained intelligence-led operations targeting kidnapping syndicates in the region.

The first breakthrough occurred on February 3, 2026, when police operatives, acting on a credible tip, intercepted a suspect, Saminu Kawujie, during a routine bush-combing operation at Warake Forest. A search of the suspect’s belongings led to the recovery of two knives, two mobile phones, a UBA ATM card, and ₦20,250, items police said, linked him to the abduction. He was subsequently identified in an identification parade as one of the kidnappers.

In a dramatic turn of events on February 8, two other suspects, Idris Abubakar and Sani Abubakar, were arrested at the Specialist Hospital in Auchi where Dr. Babatunde works. Police said the suspects had brought a sick child for medical treatment, only for the doctor to recognise them as members of the gang that abducted him and his brother.

The suspects were then taken into custody and are being held at the Auchi Divisional Police Station as investigations continue. Police officials said they are working to dismantle the entire organised criminal network responsible for kidnappings in Auchi and its environs.

Dr. Babatunde and his younger brother, Abu Tahir, were abducted at gunpoint on January 2, 2026, at their residence along City Pride Road in Igbira Camp, Auchi.

While the family eventually paid a ₦50 million ransom for Dr. Babatunde’s release, his brother was tragically killed in captivity, and his body was discovered near the Orley River on January 5, according to earlier reports.

The police have reiterated their commitment to bringing all perpetrators to justice, urging communities to share information that could assist further operations against kidnapping syndicates in the area.