After issuing prior warnings to the Nigerian government about their intention to strike, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will begin a seven-day warning strike today, Monday, August 26, 2024. This action is being taken in response to the ongoing abduction of one of their members, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped nearly eight months ago.
Dele Abdullahi, the President of NARD, announced that the decision to strike was made during an Emergency National Executive Council meeting. He stated, “The strike will commence at midnight tonight. It will last for seven days and is intended as a warning. During this period, there will be no concessions or emergency care provided.”
Dr. Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew. While her husband was released in March, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity. In response, NARD members have staged protests across tertiary hospitals nationwide to demand her release.
In an effort to address the situation, Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has appealed to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urging them to expedite efforts to rescue Dr. Popoola.
In a letter titled “RE: Kidnap of Resident Doctor at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna: Urgent Intervention Needed to Prevent Industrial Disharmony,” the ministry requested immediate action to secure the victims’ release and prevent further disruption in the health sector. The letter emphasized the need for urgent intervention to both safeguard the lives of those kidnapped and avert potential industrial conflict within the health sector.