On Monday, August 26, 2024, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) initiated a nationwide 7-day warning strike across all its centers. This strike is in response to the ongoing captivity of one of their colleagues, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who has been held by kidnappers for over eight months.

Dr. Dele Abdullahi, the President of NARD, announced this development in a formal statement, explaining that the decision was taken during an urgent virtual meeting of the association’s National Executive Council, which took place on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

Abdullahi made it clear that the industrial action would be comprehensive, halting all medical services, including emergency care, for the entire duration of the strike.

Dr. Popoola, who works as a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted along with her husband and nephew nearly eight months ago.

While her husband was released in March, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity, a situation that has deeply concerned both NARD and the wider medical community.

The doctors are demanding her immediate release, alongside improved security measures to protect medical professionals, particularly in high-risk areas.

The strike is intended to draw attention to these issues and pressurize the government to act swiftly. With no medical services being rendered during the strike, including emergency treatments, the situation could have significant implications for patients nationwide.

NARD has emphasized that the strike is a necessary step in the face of increasing insecurity and the government’s perceived lack of urgency in securing the release of Dr. Popoola.

The association further stressed that the safety of health workers must be prioritized to prevent similar incidents in the future.