The Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has announced the suspension of medical services across the state, beginning Saturday, in response to the abduction of two medical doctors.
The association said the decision was taken to protest worsening insecurity and the repeated targeting of health workers while on duty. The announcement was made in a statement issued on Friday by the Edo NMA Chairman, Dr Eustace Oseghale.
According to Oseghale, doctors in the state can no longer assure their personal safety in the course of providing healthcare services, following recent kidnapping incidents that occurred on January 1 and 2.
He said the abductions have heightened fear among medical practitioners and reinforced long-standing concerns over inadequate security for health workers.
One of the victims, Dr Babatunde Abu, was reportedly kidnapped in Auchi, with his abductors allegedly demanding a ransom of N100 million.
Oseghale described the incident as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of doctors in Edo State, stressing that the association would maintain the suspension of services until the kidnapped doctors are released and concrete measures are put in place to guarantee the safety of medical personnel.
“We will continue to withhold services until our colleagues are released and adequate security measures are implemented,” he said.
He also called on security agencies to urgently address the situation and appealed to the Edo State Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted doctors and prevent further attacks on health workers across the state.
