A top medical doctor and his driver have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in an Ondo State community who are making outrageous demands.
Dr. Niran Ikuomola
The permanent secretary of the Ondo State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Niran Ikuomola, was kidnapped along with his driver on Sunday evening.
They were abducted by unknown assailants while driving along the Lokoja-Abuja expressway.
Accoding to SaharaReporters, the doctor and his driver were en route to the federal capital city for an official engagement.
Roland Arohunmolase, the secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), confirmed the abduction.
He explained that the kidnappers used Dr. Ikuomola’s driver’s phone to contact another doctor in order to inform him of his kidnapping.
"They used his driver's phone to contact another doctor to inform us of the kidnap case. As I speak with you, we are making frantic efforts to ensure the safe release of the permanent secretary and we have reported the matter to the police commissioner.
"It's not clear but I heard them saying the family should pay the sum of N70 million before he would be released with his driver,” Mr. Arohunmolase said.
He explained that the members of the NMA in Ondo State have been directed to pray for the safe release of the permanent secretary.
Another source disclosed to our correspondent that the kidnappers have contacted Dr. Ikuomola’s family, but the family has been unable to contact the victim.
"His telephone line has been switched off since yesterday and we cannot get access to him," said the source. "Members of his family and friends have reported the case to the police for immediate investigation.”
Our correspondent’s effort to contact the doctor’s wife proved abortive as at the time of publishing this report.