Doctors across Nigeria have launched a seven-day nationwide strike, demanding the release of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, an ophthalmologist who has been held by kidnappers for the past eight months.
Dr. Popoola, a mother of five, was abducted from her home on December 27 alongside her husband and a nephew. While her husband was released in March after a ransom was reportedly paid, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity. The striking doctors have announced that they will not provide even emergency care during the strike, citing dissatisfaction with the security agencies’ efforts to secure her release.
Dr. Dele Abdullahi, president of the doctors’ association, expressed frustration, telling the media, “It’s been eight months of agony for her, her family, and her colleagues. The life of doctors should matter to Nigerians.” He warned that if no progress is made, an indefinite strike could be declared.
Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Okpanaki, a colleague of Dr. Popoola, described the situation as deeply demoralizing. “In a country where medical workers are leaving, those who choose to stay should be protected,” he said.
Dr. Popoola, who began working at the National Eye Centre hospital in Kaduna about six years ago, was still breastfeeding her youngest child at the time of her abduction. The hospital, one of the largest eye hospitals in Nigeria, is located on the outskirts of Kaduna city, an area known for its high incidence of kidnappings.
The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of 40 million naira (£19,000; $25,000) for Dr. Popoola’s release. Although a controversial law criminalizing ransom payments was enacted in 2022, the practice persists as desperate families often pay to secure the release of loved ones. The law stipulates a minimum 15-year prison sentence for ransom payments, but no convictions have been reported.
The Nigerian government has yet to comment on the strike or Dr. Popoola’s situation, and her husband has declined media interviews. Dr. Abdullahi revealed that while the family initially explored diplomatic options, they have now authorized the doctors’ association to pursue alternative measures.
Kidnapping has surged in Nigeria in recent years, particularly in the north-west, with criminal gangs targeting individuals for ransom.
