A fresh report about the female doctor, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, who is in kidnappers’ custody since her abduction last December has emerged.
Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna State, was abducted on December 27, 2023, alongside her husband, Nurudeen Popoola, who is a Squadron leader, and her nephew, Folaranmi Abdul-Mugniy, who stays with them.
Several negotiations with the kidnappers that followed resulted in the husband’s release on March 8, 2024.
But the doctor and Abdul-Mugniy are held on to by the abductors who last made Dr Popoola talked with her family on phone on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
The worrying situation, prompted the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors to embark on protest across the country to demand for the release of their colleague, and threatened to go on strike by August 26 if the doctor captive is not freed.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, has stepped into the matter through a letter from him to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
In the letter, the health minister, sought the intervention of the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and the IG, Kayode Egbetokun, to rescue the abducted medical doctor.
Titled ‘RE: Kidnap of Resident Doctor at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna: A need for urgent intervention to avert industrial disharmony’, the letter read, “The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is in receipt of a letter from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors Ref.no.NARD/SG/2023-2024/290724/788, dated 29th July 2024 (copy attached) on the above subject.
“In the letter under reference, the associationinformed of the abduction of one of their members, Dr. Ganiyat Olawole Popoola, a Senior Registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Care Centre, Kaduna and her nephew over seven months ago (December, 2023) and the victims have remained in the custody of the kidnappers to date.
“In view of the above, the ministry is requesting your urgent intervention not only to save the lives of the kidnapped victims but also to avert industrial disharmony in the health sector.
“While anticipating your prompt action, please accept the warm regards of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.”
