Medical activities were partially paralysed at Federal Teaching Hospital (FETH) Ido Ekiti, Ekiti State on Thursday morning when members of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at the tertiary hospital joined their colleagues nationwide to stage a liberty protest asking for the immediate and unconditional release of one of them, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola who was kidnapped in December 2023.
Though the protesing doctors, out of compassion, allowed some of their colleagues to attend to patients on emergency and admission.
Led by the President of NARD FETH branch, Dr. Oluwafemi Olowoselu, the resident doctors at FETH Ido Ekiti staged a walk protest on the premises of the tertiary hospital holding banners and placards with inscriptions such as: “Help bring back Ganiyat safely,” “Ganiyat is a mother to five children, Family is missing her everyday. Free Dr. Ganiyat.” “Free Dr Ganiyat Popoola unconditionally, Free Dr Ganiyat.” She only eats once in 3 Days, Dr Ganiyat needs all.” “Dr. Ganiyat’s captivity is a threat to the entire health sector and threat to the health and safety of all Nigerians.”
Speaking with journalists during the liberty protest, Dr Olowoselu urged the Federal government to use the good offices of the National Security Adviser (NSA ) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to assist in ensuring unconditional release of Dr Popoola from the captivity of her abductors.
He explained that the doctors decided to embark on the protest after the two ultimatum earlier given to the federal government on the release of their kidnapped colleague elapsed without any positive result.
Olowoselu, however warned that if the federal government failed to secure the unconditional release of the kidnapped Resident Doctor in Opthalmology Department within the next few days, the body of medical doctors will embark on an indefinite strike beginning from August 26.
“We are embarking on this liberty walk protest to sensitise the federal government and every Nigerian on the need to secure the unconditional release of our colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola who has been in captivity with her abductors since December 2023.
“We had given the federal government two weeks ultimatum which expired last week. After the expiration of the ultimatum, our national body decided to embark on this protest. But if after this protest, the Federal Government cannot secure the unconditional release of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola; we shall embark on national wide indefinite strike,” Olowoselu explained.
Dr Ganiyat Popoola, a resident doctor at National Eye Centre, Kaduna, was kidnapped along with her husband and a nephew with the husband released weeks ago.
