The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has expressed deep concern and outrage over the abduction of Dr Tochukwu Mbanugo, a consultant neurosurgeon with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State.
According to reports from the hospital, Dr Mbanugo was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Thursday, October 30, 2025, around Omatha Junction, Uruagu, Nnewi. The incident occurred as he was returning home after a long day of performing multiple life-saving neurosurgical procedures, including the removal of a complex brain tumour.
The Ministry, in a statement signed by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the attack as “a direct assault on the nation’s health security and a threat to collective wellbeing.”
“The abduction of Dr Mbanugo at the very moment he was heading home after saving lives underscores the growing danger faced by healthcare professionals in Nigeria,” the statement read.
It was revealed that the kidnappers later made contact through Dr Mbanugo’s phone with some of his colleagues. The matter has since been reported to the Anambra State Police Command, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad, and the State Vigilante Group.
Authorities at NAUTH are said to be working closely with security agencies, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and other stakeholders to ensure his safe release.
The Ministry highlighted the severe shortage of neurosurgeons in Nigeria, noting that the country has fewer than 150 practising neurosurgeons serving a population of over 220 million people. This ratio falls far below the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of one neurosurgeon per 100,000 people — meaning Nigeria currently has only one neurosurgeon for every 1.9 million citizens.
“This makes every specialist doctor an invaluable national asset,” the statement emphasised. “Our doctors, nurses, and health professionals are serving under immense pressure to save lives and deserve protection, not harm.”
The Federal Ministry of Health strongly condemned the attack and called on the Anambra State Government and all relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue Dr Mbanugo swiftly and safely, without conditions.
“We stand in solidarity with his family, colleagues, the management of NAUTH, the neurosurgical community, and the entire Nigerian health sector at this painful time,” Dr Salako added.
The Ministry also reiterated its commitment to improving the safety and welfare of health workers across the country, stressing that safeguarding those who dedicate their lives to caring for others is essential to Nigeria’s national development and well-being.
