Members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, today, commenced industrial action to call for Nigerian government intervention towards the release of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Olawale Popoola, who was abducted alongside her husband and nephew at their quaters in December 2023.
The Popoola couple had a unique situation in their own kidnap case. They were taken inside their home in Kaduna and the sum of #100million was demanded.
Note that it was yesterday, Sunday 25th of August, 2024 that we heard of the release of medical students abducted on their way to Abuja a week ago. The police claimed they rescued the students without any ransom paid, but Nigerians have said so much to counter the claim.
Ganiyat’s husband was released with leg injuries on March 8th, 2024 after the initial payment of #60million while the wife and their nephew are still being held till the present.
The NARD’s action, though necessary, is not timely. They should have taken this stand immediately after the kidnap incident, especially when they have seen the handwriting on the wall that the government and the military would not do anything to rescue the rest.
The NARD’s President, Dr. Dele Abdullahi said “the strike is commencing midnight today (Sunday), it’s for seven days, it’s a warning strike and it’s total.
“During the strike, there will be no concessions and there will be no emergency care,” he declared.
This is considered a veritable threat to ginger the President, security agencies and other stakeholders to action, but unfortunately, the demand of NARD does not capture release of the boy! So who will fight for the release of Abdulmugniy?
I woke up this morning and my mind has been disturbed about the fate of the young Folaranmi Abdulmugniy, an underage nephew of the couple who is suffering in the den of the kidnappers just because he was at home when the abductors went for their target.
I asked myself the question since the husband was released in March, that if the callous could collect sixty million naira to release the husband and asked for forty million for the release of the wife and Folaranmi, where would the family source such amount and if they couldn’t, what would happen to the duo in captivity?
During my conversation with the young boy’s father, he said what will naturally move every parent to tears.
“Why did I allow him to go there if not the wish of God, he is a brilliant boy and wanted to study medical-related course, I had to put him under the care of our brother and sister and this happened.
“Just help me pray that they will release them without any accident, we appreciate the support we got so far from Nigerians, but we wish our government could do better.”
If the Doctors’ strike will move the Tinubu government and the military to act, it is my hope that they will work for the freedom of the two. This is because of the fact that it is obvious that direct bombardment cannot be the solution if we do not want casualties.
Looking at the warped thinking of the abductors, they may want to use the occasion of the noise raised by this industrial action to make fresh demands.
As a parent, it is nerve-wracking to think of the treatments meted out to the woman and the young 17year old boy. So many gory incidents the dark souls must have created in his presence.
As lazy as I am in prayer, my body and conscience has not allowed me rest, as I crave nothing than the release of Ganiyat Olawale Popoola and Folaranmi Abdulmugniy without any collateral accident.
For now, I wear the armor of hope, as Late Desmond Tutu said it is the ability to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.
Alhazan Abiodun Rilwan is the
Iseyin, Oyo State.
