- Kidnappers of Edo Medical Doctor Arrested After Returning to Victim’s Hospital
- Police said Idris Abubakar was specifically identified as the suspect who received the ransom paid for the doctor’s release
- The remaining two suspects were arrested during a coordinated operation involving police operatives
The Edo State Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers in connection with the abduction of a medical doctor, Dr Ibrahim Babatunde Tahir, and his brother, Abu Tahir, in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
Eko Hot Blog reports that two of the suspects were apprehended in a dramatic turn of events after they reportedly brought their children to the same hospital where Dr Tahir works for medical treatment. The doctor, who was previously held captive by the gang, recognised them upon sight and alerted security personnel.
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The remaining two suspects were arrested during a coordinated operation involving police operatives, local hunters and vigilante groups at Warake Forest, following actionable intelligence.
Confirming the arrests, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, said the first major breakthrough occurred on February 3, 2026.
According to her, operatives of the Auchi Division, working alongside local security groups, intercepted one of the suspects, identified as Saminu Kawujie, during a routine bush-combing operation in Warake Forest. Items recovered from him included two knives, two mobile phones, a UBA ATM card and ₦20,250 in cash.
An identification parade conducted later reportedly confirmed Kawujie as one of the abductors involved in the crime.
Further arrests were made on February 8, 2026, when the Divisional Police Officer, acting on additional intelligence, deployed operatives to the Specialist Hospital in Auchi. Two suspects, Idris Abubakar and Sani Abubakar, were arrested on the hospital premises and identified as members of the kidnapping gang.
Police said Idris Abubakar was specifically identified as the suspect who received the ransom paid for the doctor’s release.
The command said investigations are ongoing to dismantle the wider criminal network responsible for a series of kidnappings in Auchi and neighbouring communities.
The victims were abducted on January 2, 2026. While Dr Ibrahim Tahir was released on January 15 after his family reportedly paid a ransom of ₦50 million, his younger brother, Abu Tahir, was brutally killed by the abductors on January 5.
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