Medical services across Edo State will be suspended from Saturday as doctors protest the abduction of two of their colleagues, the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has announced.
The association said the decision was taken in response to worsening insecurity and repeated attacks on health workers, which it described as a growing threat to the medical profession in the state.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Edo NMA Chairman, Dr Eustace Oseghale, said doctors could no longer guarantee their safety while attending to patients.
“The recent kidnapping of our colleagues has further heightened fear among medical practitioners in Edo State,” Oseghale said.
“Under the current circumstances, we cannot continue to work as if nothing has happened.”
According to him, the abductions occurred on January 1 and 2, worsening concerns about the vulnerability of doctors, particularly those working in high-risk areas.
One of the victims, identified as Dr Babatunde Abu, was reportedly kidnapped in Auchi, with his abductors demanding a ransom of ₦100 million.
Oseghale stressed that the association would not resume medical services until concrete steps were taken to ensure the safety of doctors and secure the release of those abducted.
“We will continue to withhold our services until our colleagues are released and there is a clear and credible commitment to protecting health workers in the state,” he said. “We expect security agencies to treat this matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.”
The NMA also called on the Edo State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted doctors and prevent further attacks on health facilities and personnel.
The development is expected to significantly affect access to healthcare across the state, as public and private health facilities brace for the impact of the planned service withdrawal.
