By Ladi Dapson
 
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Maiduguri State chapter, on Friday charged President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to give a matching order to the Armed Forces to ensure the release of Dr. Ganiyat Olabisi Popoola-Olawale, who was kidnapped last year in December 2023.
 
It would be recalled that the unfortunate incident occurred at about 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna State.
 
The peaceful protest started at about 8:30 a.m. from the NARD office to the administrative blocks of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, and passed through every child care centre, kidney centre, accident and emergency unit, and several others at exactly 10:00 a.m.
 
The doctors who carried placards with various inscriptions such as Six Months Too Long to Rescue,” Her Five Children are Waiting to their Mother,” “Please help find Dr. Ganiyat Olabisi Popoola-Olawale,” “bring back Dr. Popoola,” “we demand the immediate release of Dr. Popoola,” and “free Dr. Popoola now.”
 
Our correspondent also reports that Dr. Ganiyat Olabisi Popoola-Olawale was abducted alongside her husband, Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola, and the husband’s nephew, {Folaranmi Abdul-Mugniy, a student of the Air Force Technology Institute (AFIT), who was staying with them.

Dr. Yahaya Sheriff, State President of ARD, disclosed that after several efforts and negotiations, the husband was released on March 7, 2024, adding that since the incident, the abductors have called severally at will and spoke with the members of the family on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, as proof that they are both alive.
 
While registering their displeasure before Prof. Ibrahim Sanusi, the Chairman of the of the Medical Advisory Committee, C-MAC UMTH, who received the angry doctors on behalf of the chief medical director of the hospital, Prof. Ahmed Ahijo, noted that if at the end of the two-week ultimatum given to the federal government by the association to rescue her, they would be forced to declare indefinite industrial action for the sake of their colleague.
 
“I think six months is good enough to have rescued our colleague and her husband. President Tinubu should give a directive to service chiefs to bring our sister home safely. We are here to express our displeasure at the abduction of Dr. Olabisi Popoola-Olawale alongside her husband, Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola, and the husband’s nephew, {Folaranmi Abdul-Mugniy, a student of the Air Force Technology Institute (AFIT), who was staying with them.
 
“We are also calling on both the federal government and Kaduna state government to do everything humanly possible to ensure her immediate release alongside other victims that were abducted and are still in captivity.
 
He continued, “The president of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors, who addressed journalists about the resolution of the residents doctors in the country about the abduction of one of our colleagues, stated that the two-week ultimatum had been extended to the federal government to ensure her immediate release unhurt or risk indefinite industrial action for the sake of their colleague. ,” Dr. Sheriff warned.
 
In his remarks, Prof. Ibrahim Sanusi, the Chairman of the of the Medical Advisory Committee (C-MAC), sympathised with the angry doctors and noted that it was a painful and sympathetic situation they have been going through since their colleagues were kidnapped by kidnappers in Kaduna State.
 
“The agony for our colleagues, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, her families, and indeed the entire health sector across the country is quite sad. The victim must be going through a lot of turmoil, and unfortunately, rescue has not come. We will continue to maintain our hopes and pray for her safe release.”