The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have suspended its seven-day warning strike embarked upon by its members over the abduction of their colleague, Ganiyat Popoola.
The association directed its members to resume work on Monday. This decision was reached after its extraordinary National Executive Council (ENEC) meeting held virtually on Sunday, 30th August 2024.
NARD said it resolved to suspend the strike which began Monday, August 26.
The Association however said it is closely monitoring developments and engaging stakeholders to secure the immediate release of its abducted member. NARD said its NEC has also agreed to reconvene in three weeks to reappraise the situation.
Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew, Folaranmi Abdul-Mugniy, a student at the Airforce Technology Institute. While Popoola’s husband was released after paying a ransom, she remains in captivity.
NARD had previously issued warnings that they would be forced to take industrial action if Dr Popoola was not rescued. In July, the association took to social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to appeal for urgent assistance in securing her release, describing her as “a dedicated professional, loving wife, and mother,” whose continued absence has deeply affected her family.
