DELTA: Medical doctors embark on 2-day strike over abduction of colleague

A two-day warning strike has been embarked upon by medical doctors in Delta State over the kidnap of one of their colleague identified as Dr. Wisdom Iboyitete, a Principal Medical Officer, by unidentified gunmen.

The two-day warning strike was declared on Monday night by the state branch of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), following the kidnap of Dr. Wisdom, at the General Hospital, Ojobo, in Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

NAGGMDP in a statement signed by its chairman, Dr. Ebikagboro Olayinka, and Secretary, Dr. Ikechukwu Okoh, at the end of an emergency meeting of the body where the two-day warning strike was announced, threatened that if by Thursday their abducted colleague is not released by the gunmen, all members of NAGGMDP shall embark on an indefinite strike across the state.

The statement read, “Dr. Wisdom Iboyitete, a Principal Medical Officer at General Hospital, Ojobo was abducted in the hospital premises by unknown gunmen pretending to be patients on 01/06/2020 at 00:01 WAT.

“The Association had an Emergency Meeting today 01/06/2020 and noted that efforts made in the release of our members from the kidnappers’ den are suboptimal and call on the Delta State Government and security agencies to increase the tempo in locating and rescuing our member unscathed and unharmed.

“Consequently, the Association resolved as follows: All our members under Ughelli and Bomadi Medical Zones are to embark on a warning strike from 08:00 WAT tomorrow Tuesday 02/06/2020.

READ ALSO: Seven men storm Delta FMC, forcefully take away COVID-19 patient

“All members of the Association in the State have been told to commence indefinite strike action from 08:00 WAT on Thursday 04/06/2020 until he is released.

“There shall be a peaceful protest walk on Thursday 04/06/2020. This protest walk will commence from the Delta State NMA Secretariat (opposite the Cenotaph, Asaba) to the Government House and then to the Office of the Commissioner of Police in Asaba.

“To hold a Press Conference demanding his unconditional release and also highlighting the plight of doctors who are soft targets of Kidnappers in Delta State.

“We demand the unconditional release of our member Dr. Wisdom Iboyitete,” the statement concluded.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now