Kaduna — Doctors in Kaduna State have condemned the killing of head of surgery at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Professor Hyacinth Nong Mbibu. He was shot by unknown gunmen while returning home from work on Thursday.

The doctors therefore called on all relevant authorities to do whatever necessary to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice, saying the death has left a "huge vacuum that cannot be filled by any imaginable human effort".

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna at the weekend, their chairman Dr. Aliyu Usman Bappa said the "act of criminality is another manifestation of the helpless descent into insecurity and lawlessness in the society".

"This orgy of violence started with the killing of Dr. Adamu, a master of public health student in 2010 and continued with the murder of Dr. Andrew Abutu in May this year while newly wedded and pregnant wife narrowly escaped with severe gunshot wounds. About two months ago, Dr. Ugwu of the railway hospital became a victim of this cowardly act.

"As if these cold blooded massacres were not enough, we have witnessed an upsurge in these violent crimes in the last two weeks culminating in the death of a security officer with ABUTH and Professor Mbibu on the same day. That this serial act of violence has continued unchallenged remains a frightening reminder that we are all sitting ducks in this emerging culture of wanton criminality that accords no value to our collective social norm of sanctifying human life.

"Professor Mbibu may have left us in flesh but his spirit abides with those of us who will continue to bear testimonies to his towering simplicity, disarming humility and uncommon quest for service to fellow man," he said.

As a mark of last respect Kaduna NMA in concert with Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, Association of Resident Doctors and the Department of Surgery all of ABUTH chapter has declared a 2-week mourning period beginning from last week Friday.