The National Association of Resident Doctors NARD, Osun State University, UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Chapter have staged a peaceful protest to demand the unconditional release of their colleague Dr Ganiyat Popoola.
The doctors who trooped out en masse on Friday said the protest is in solidarity with their colleague, Dr Popoola who was abducted on December 27, 2023, at her residence in Kaduna town.
Newspot gathered that Dr Ganiyat Popoola, a Registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew.
While her husband was released in March, Dr Ganiyat, who is a breastfeeding mother and her nephew remain in captivity.
The protesting doctors turned out in large numbers, with placards, calling for the unconditional release of Dr Ganiyat among others
Addressing journalists during the peaceful protest, which took place within the premises of the UNIOSUNTH, Osogbo, President, NARD UNIOSUNTH chapter, Dr Ojo Damilola John said, if their request for prompt intervention and release of their colleague is not yielded to, they may have no option but to down tools to press home their demand.
Dr John said NARD has lost patience with the government’s inaction over the abduction, saying their colleague and her nephew who were in captivity have suffered physical, emotional and psychological trauma.
He called on the government and security agents to ensure Dr Ganiya and her nephew were released alive.
“Our demands as the Association of Medical Doctors of the Osun State University Teaching Hospital is to join all other Nigerian Doctors to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Ganiyat and her nephew and reunite them with their immediate family.
“We want to appeal to the security agents and all other stakeholders to ensure Dr Ganiyat and her nephew are released unconditionally because injury to one is an injury to all.”
Echoing similar views, the NARD Vice President 1, Dr Ilori Solomon, called for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Olawale-Popoola and her nephew.
Solomon who emphasised the critical role that healthcare professionals like the doctor play in society, particularly during these challenging times said the association will embark on industrial action on August 26, if Dr Popoola is not freed by then.
He called on all relevant authorities and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the doctor and her nephew.
“Our demand is simple. In a book, they said all animals are equal but we know some are more equal than others. I just imagine if it were to be the daughter, wife, or sister of any of the leaders at the helm of affairs that has been incarcerated for the past seven months, would she still be there in captivity?
“I think this is a country where we advocate equal rights. We need the federal government to stand up for the rights of Dr Ganiyat Popoola who has been incarcerated for the past seven months, and let her be released immediately. Failure to release Dr Ganiyat come August 26 all the Doctors in this country will have to down tools until Dr Ganiyat is released”, he said.
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