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By Doris Obinna
The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has condemned the killing of one of its members, Dr Andrew Orovwigho, describing his death as a brutal assault on the medical profession and Nigeria’s fragile mental health system.
Orovwigho, a consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, was kidnapped from his residence in Enugu on December 30, 2025.
According to the association, he had earlier visited a family friend within the Enugu metropolis when he received a call to urgently attend to a private patient at home. On arrival at his residence, he was reportedly accosted by three armed men riding in a tricycle, shot in the knee and other parts of his body, and driven away in his own vehicle.
The assailants allegedly inflicted further gunshot wounds on him before dumping him at a sand excavation site on the outskirts of town. He was discovered in the early hours of December 31 by a sand loader, who alerted security personnel. Orovwigho was rushed to the hospital, where he received emergency treatment and was resuscitated. However, he died on January 2, 2026, while receiving medical care.
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In a statement signed by its president, Dr Veronica Oluyemisi Nyamali, and secretary general, Prof Kingsley Mayowa Okonoda, the APN said the killing had thrown psychiatrists across the country into mourning. The association noted that Nigeria has fewer than 150 psychiatrists serving a population of over 200 million people, warning that violence and insecurity were further depleting an already overstretched mental health workforce.
The APN demanded that authorities in Enugu State identify and prosecute those responsible without delay and called for adequate compensation and support for the deceased’s family. It also urged the government to strengthen security measures to protect healthcare professionals and citizens.
The association, while insisting that justice must be served, expressed appreciation to the Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mbah, for convening a security meeting at the instance of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and acknowledged the efforts of security agencies and the hospital management so far.
Describing Orovwigho as a dedicated clinician, teacher and mentor who chose to remain in Nigeria despite opportunities abroad, the APN said his death was a colossal loss to the profession and the nation. It vowed not to relent until justice is secured for its slain colleague.
