Sodiq Ojuroungbe
A female resident doctor at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped in December 2023 has regained freedom from her abductors.
PUNCH Healthwise gathered that Popoola was released on Wednesday evening after 10 months in captivity.
The resident doctor was reportedly kidnapped alongside her husband, Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola, and her nephew, Folaranmi Abdul-Mugniy, who resides with them on December 27, 2023.
Following extensive negotiations with the kidnappers, her husband was released on March 8, 2024, but the doctor and Abdul-Mugniy remained in captivity.
However, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Tope Osundara, confirmed the release of Popoola and her nephew to PUNCH Healthwise on Thursday morning.
Osundara told our correspondent that the doctor’s release is a collective effort by government agencies, security operatives, and different medical associations, including the Nigerian Medical Association.
“Yes, It is true that she has been released and we want to thank God for that and appreciate all the government agencies that were involved.
“Special thanks to the president of the federation, Bola Tinubu and the two ministers of health, Prof Ali Pate and Dr. Tunji Alausa; they were all involved in this process of securing her release from the captors.
“We had several deliberations, and dialogues with our mother body, NMA. The NMA president, Prof Bala Audu was also involved. So, it was a joint effort by everybody to ensure her release and secure her away from the kidnappers.
“Dr. Ganiyat Popola is fine, but for now, there is limited access to her. The post-traumatic effect is still there and we have to ensure that she is psychologically balanced,” he explained.
PUNCH Healthwise recalled that the prolonged abduction of Popoola led to NARD launching a campaign for her release with the hashtag “#BringBackDrGaniyat” across social media platforms.
In August 2024, members of the Association of Resident Doctors at the National Hospital, Abuja, held a peaceful protest to demand Popoola’s rescue. Protestors carried placards with various messages, such as “Free Dr Ganiyat Popoola, help bring Ganiyat home safely,” “Rescue Dr Ganiyat now,” “Please, help bring Dr Ganiyat home,” “Injury to one is an injury to all,” and “Doctors are crying, help us save her.”
A similar protest was held in Ogun State by resident doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.
Speaking to one of our correspondents, the ARD President at the hospital, Dr Lanre-Aremo Babajide, stated that the doctors would embark on an indefinite strike from August 26, 2024, if Popoola was not rescued.
He said, “Our demand is simple: we want the government to intervene and secure our colleague, Dr Popoola’s, release from captivity. We are calling on the Federal Government, security chiefs, and the National Security Adviser to intervene and secure her release.
“People are trained to rescue abducted captives, so they should act immediately. If she’s not rescued by August 26, we will embark on an indefinite strike as directed by our national body, NARD.”
Meanwhile, in a letter dated August 12, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, petitioned the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene in the doctor’s case.
It was reported that since the abduction, the kidnappers had periodically allowed family members to speak with the captives, with the last communication on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, to confirm that the doctor and her nephew were still alive.
The minister’s letter stated in part, “The association informed us of the abduction of one of their members, Dr Ganiyat Olawole Popoola, a Senior Registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, and her nephew over seven months ago (December 2023), and that the victims have remained in the kidnappers’ custody to date.”
However, Popoola’s release has led to jubilation in the health sector as colleagues and medical professionals celebrate the return of the physician, while also highlighting the urgent need for improved security measures to protect healthcare workers across the country.
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