Doctors in Edo State have halted medical services across parts of the 18 local government areas as they continue their strike action over the abduction of one of their colleagues, Dr Ibrahim Babatunde.

Despite assurances from security agencies that efforts to secure his release are ongoing, the doctors said they could no longer work under an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

The industrial action sparked concern among patients and their families, many of whom are now bearing the brunt of the disruption.

A relative of a patient who recently underwent an amputation described the strike as distressing, given the critical condition of their loved one.

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Speaking to Channels Television, the Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors at Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Dr Paul Evbuomwan, expressed concern over the constant threat health workers face.

He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect both medical personnel and residents across the state.

The strike has left many hospitals operating at minimal capacity, raising fears over the provision of essential medical care in the state.

Security concerns over the safety of health workers has rise over the years, worsened by the spate of abductions in the country.

In November 2025, a consultant neurosurgeon, Dr Tochukwu Mbanugo, with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, was kidnapped by Gunmen.

Reports from NAUTH indicated that the doctor was attacked around Omatha Junction, Uruagu, Nnewi, after performing several complex neurosurgical operations.

In 2023, medical doctors in Cross River State have withdrawn their services until further notice following the kidnap of one of their colleagues from her residence in Calabar.