Kidnapped Spanish Medical Doctor Regains Freedom

md-abubakar-igpTHE Spanish medical doctor, Mr. Joe Machimbarrena, who was recently kidnapped in his Enugu base, has regained his freedom

Machimbarrena was, on Friday, released by his abductors after he was forcefully taken away 19 days ago.

Confirming the Spaniard’s release yesterday, the Enugu State Police Command said the medical doctor was sited around 9.35pm along Thinkers Corner, where he was abandoned.

According to the State’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, the foreigner, who works with the Niger Foundation Hospital, had rejoined his family.

“Dr Joe. Machimbarrena was still looking good, hale and hearty when he was seen yesterday. He was said to have been sited around the Thinkers Corner axis of the State on 20/04/12 at about 9.35 pm”, Amaraizu said, adding that the medical practitioner had joined his hospital community.

According to the Police image-maker, “the Hospital community, on their own part, had thanked all the relevant security agencies in the state for all their efforts in the aggressive search to get back Dr. Machimbarrena whom they described as almost a Nigerian because of his length of stay in Enugu. They also thanked members of the public and all the relevant stakeholders, as well as all the media outfits for the awareness created so far, which made his captors to change their mind.”

Amaraizu disclosed that the State Police Command had intensified the pursuit of the hoodlums that captured the medical doctor.

Meanwhile, Police disclosed yesterday that it had commenced full-scale investigations into the alleged incident that led to the untimely demise of one miss Ebere Egwu of Uhuanya Umuhu in Awgu Local Government Area of the State.

According to Amaraizu, the deceased, who was allegedly found dead at Iyiukwu Otoko also in Agwu after she was reportedly” threatened by one Onyeka Onwuaso on 13/04/12 during a quarrel that ensued between the family of the deceased and that of Onyeka Onwuaso.”

He said that the body of the deceased had  been deposited at the general hospital Awgu for autopsy while the suspect ( Onyeka Onwuaso) was  still helping the Police in its investigation.