Benue CMD arrested, not kidnapped, Police

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed that Dr Jonah Ogbaji, the Chief Medical Director of Multicare Hospital in Makurdi, was arrested by a squad from Force Headquarters in Abuja.

In a brief statement released on Thursday morning, the Command's Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, stated that the doctor was taken into custody by operatives from the Special Tactical Squad linked to the Force Intelligence Department in connection with an undisclosed issue.

Reports on social media had claimed that Dr Ogbaji was kidnapped around 9 PM on Wednesday while he was treating patients at his hospital along Ankpa Road in Makurdi.

His daughter, who identified herself as Patience, told our correspondent over the phone that her father, who once served as an ex-officio member of the Peoples Democratic Party in North Central, was abducted. She expressed hope for his safe return.

But the state command spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondongu, later issued a statement on Thursday, calling the kidnapping claim a “false alarm.”

The PPRO said, “The command has received enquiries about reports of the alleged abduction of a medical doctor and owner of a hospital in Makurdi. Upon verification, the report is false. The doctor was not abducted. He was arrested yesterday at his hospital by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, in connection with an ongoing investigation.”

He added that the specific details surrounding the investigation are not yet known to the command.

The police command has urged the people of the state to ignore any reports of the medical doctor’s alleged abduction or kidnapping.