Resident Doctors at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Protest for Release of Abducted Colleague, Medical Students
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, staged a peaceful protest around the hospital, demanding the immediate release of their colleague.
Lois Udoye 
On Monday, members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, staged a peaceful protest around the hospital, demanding the immediate release of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who was abducted in December 2023 in Kaduna State. The doctors also called for the freedom of 20 medical students from the University of Jos and University of Maiduguri, who were kidnapped last Thursday along the Otukpa-Otukpo-Enugu Road in Benue State.
The protest was led by the ARD President, Olusola Monehin, as the doctors marched through the hospital premises, chanting for the unconditional and safe return of Dr. Popoola and her seven-year-old nephew, who were kidnapped together. Dr. Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted alongside her husband and nephew. While her husband was released in March, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity.
The protesting doctors carried banners and placards bearing messages such as "FG must help bring back Dr. Ganiyat Popoola," "We demand the release of Dr. Popoola now," and "The security agencies should help free Dr. Popoola." Monehin passionately appealed to the Federal Government to deploy all available resources to secure the release of Dr. Popoola, emphasizing her role as a dedicated healthcare provider and mother of five, who was taken while caring for her six-month-old baby.
Monehin also expressed deep concern about the recent abduction of 20 medical students in Benue State, pointing out that the worsening insecurity in the country requires urgent attention. He urged the government to act swiftly and double its efforts to rescue both Dr. Popoola and the abducted students.
In addition to the protest for Dr. Popoola's release, Monehin addressed the ongoing doctors' strike in Ogun State over payment disparities. He called on influential figures in the state to intervene and urge Governor Dapo Abiodun to meet the doctors' demands. The strike, he explained, aims to secure better remuneration and working conditions for doctors, many of whom are leaving government-owned health facilities for better opportunities elsewhere.
Monehin highlighted the ARD's demand for an upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), a request they have been advocating for since last year. He noted that while other states, such as Lagos, have implemented the review, Ogun State doctors continue to face wage discrepancies compared to their counterparts in federal establishments.
"There is ongoing engagement with the government, but it has not been fruitful," Monehin said, stressing that the salary structure review should be prioritized over the implementation of the minimum wage.
The immediate past state Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Kunle Ashimi, had previously directed doctors in Ogun State to embark on an indefinite strike on August 3, citing the state government's indifference to implementing the CONMESS upward review. The strike, according to the doctors, is necessary to ensure the provision of quality healthcare in the state.
