More Lagos doctors protest as abductors hold colleague captive for eight months

The Association of Resident Doctors, National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos, (ARD-NOHIL) on Monday staged a solidarity walk over the abduction of Ganiyat Popoola, a resident doctor at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, who was abducted eight months ago.

The solidarity protest held under the auspices of the Nigerian Association of Residents Doctors (NARD) started last week in other tertiary institutions nationwide.

On Wednesday, NARD resolved to hold a nationwide protest march to demand Mrs Popoola’s release and threatened a nationwide strike if she was not released by 26 August.

Mrs Popoola was kidnapped on 27 December 2023 alongside her husband and nephew.

While her husband has been released after a ransom was reportedly paid, Mrs Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity.

The kidnappers reportedly demanded a N60 million ransom to release the doctor’s husband.

Lagos protest

In Lagos State, the protest has been observed by the ARDs at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos and the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos.

Speaking during the walk at ARD Igbobi, the President of ARD-NOHIL, Edeh Ernest, called on the government and security agencies to hasten efforts to ensure Mrs Popoola’s safe return, adding that “failure of which will not guarantee industrial harmony.”

“We are gathered here not only to honour our abducted colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, but also to send a clear message that we have not forgotten, and we will not rest until she is safely returned,” he said.

“This walk represents more than just a physical journey – it symbolises our unwavering commitment to justice, to the protection of our community, and to the values that Dr Popoola stood for.

“We demand for government intervention to see to her immediate release. We also plead to the security agencies to step up in their search and ensure she is released as soon as possible.”

Representing the MD of the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Mustapha Alimi, the Head of Clinical Service, Lawal Wakeel, also pleaded with the government to ensure security across health centres and border communities.

Mr Wakeel said: “We are all doctors. It could be any one of us, but our prayer is that God be with her and the family, and at the end of the day, she will be released alive and strong.

“We plead with the government to assist us in this struggle by intensifying efforts to see that our colleague is released. We are also pleading with the government to secure the health centres as well as the borders of the country in order to safeguard the lives and properties of its citizens.”

He added that the management of the National Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi fully supports the solidarity walk and “sympathises with all the doctors in Nigeria at this moment and hopes that the government does the needful for her immediate release.”

Insecurity affects health workers

Nigeria has been grappling with armed conflicts such as terrorism and banditry, among other issues.

The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) identified 19 incidents of violence against health workers in Nigeria in 2023.

It also identified 43 incidents in 2022, compared to 56 in 2021, in which 37 health workers were kidnapped, seven others were killed, and health supplies were looted from pharmacies and health centres.

READ ALSO: Lagos doctors stage solidarity walk, demand release of abducted colleague

SHCC reported that between 2016 and 2020, there were 4,094 reported attacks and threats against healthcare in conflict areas across the world.

During this period, at least 1,524 health workers were injured, 681 were killed, and 401 were kidnapped.