Appolonia Adeyemi 
Psychiatrists across Nigeria have raised a collective alarm following the gruesome murder of their colleague, Dr Andrew Orovwigho, a consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, describing his death as a direct assault on the nation’s fragile mental healthcare system.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr Veronica Oluyemisi Nyamali, and Secretary General, Prof. Kingsley Mayowa Okonoda, the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) condemned the killing and demanded swift justice, compensation for the bereaved family, and urgent reforms to Nigeria’s security architecture.
Dr Orovwigho was kidnapped from his residence in Enugu on December 30, 2025, after reportedly receiving a call to attend to what appeared to be a private patient.
According to the association, he had briefly left a family friend’s home within the Enugu metropolis to respond to the call — “in his usual characteristic manner of giving priority to patients’ care.”
On arriving home, he was accosted by three armed men in a tricycle. He was shot in the knee, sustained multiple injuries, forcibly taken away in his vehicle, and later dumped at a sand evacuation site far from town. The attackers allegedly contacted someone at the earlier residence, claiming they had been paid to kill him.
A sand loader discovered him in the early hours of December 31 and alerted security operatives. He was rushed to the hospital, conscious and able to speak, and received emergency treatment. But despite efforts to save him, he died on January 2, 2026.
“We began the year 2026 with devastating news,” the statement read. “Dr Orovwigho was a brilliant and passionate psychiatrist, deeply committed to patient care, teaching, mentorship, and professional excellence.
His loss is not only personal but professional — a colossal blow to the mental health community in Nigeria.”
The APN described him as a dedicated doctor who chose to remain in Nigeria despite opportunities to relocate abroad, driven by a belief in what he called the “Project Nigeria.” “Those dreams were tragically extinguished,” the association lamented.
The killing has deepened fears within a profession already stretched thin. Nigeria has barely 150 psychiatrists serving a population of over 200 million people.
With rising emigration, insecurity, and poor working conditions, the mental health workforce is critically understaffed.
“Why should any of us be killed in such a barbaric manner?” the association asked. “This reprehensible act is not only a violation of natural justice — it is a direct assault on the medical profession and the Nigerian healthcare system.”
Psychiatrists warn that continued violence against healthcare workers could worsen brain drain and further restrict access to care for millions battling mental health conditions.
“This crime must not be met with silence or indifference,” the statement emphasised. “Psychiatrists in Nigeria cannot and will not tolerate the murder of our members.”
The APN outlined four key demands:
Immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of the perpetrators.
Adequate compensation and support for Dr Orovwigho’s family.
Comprehensive strengthening of security to protect healthcare professionals and citizens.
Decisive action against violence targeting health workers nationwide.
The association warned that failure to meet these demands would compel it to take all legitimate and lawful measures to defend its members and safeguard psychiatric practice in Nigeria.
While expressing appreciation to the Enugu State Governor for convening a security meeting at the instance of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), particularly its Enugu State Branch, the APN insisted that more must be done.
It also acknowledged the engagement of the DSS, the State Police Command, and the management of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.
Still, the message was clear: “We will not rest until justice is served.”
As colleagues mourn, patients grieve, and a nation grapples with insecurity, Dr. Orovwigho’s death stands as a stark reminder that beyond statistics are human lives — doctors who heal, teach, and serve — now under siege.
