The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members to return to work on Monday, following a seven-day nationwide warning strike. The strike was launched in response to the abduction of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped eight months ago.
Popoola was abducted eight months ago. NARD stated that it would assess the Federal Government’s pledge to address its demands within the next three weeks. Popoola is a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna.
On December 27, 2023, she, her husband, and her nephew were taken hostage.
Popoola and her nephew are still being held captive, despite the release of her husband in March.
For the striking resident doctors, the Federal Government said on Thursday that it will implement the “no work, no pay” policy.
The danger, however, did not seem to affect the doctors.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, the NARD President, Dr Dele Abdullahi, said, “We are suspending the strike now. We will be meeting to review the progress the government has made in the next three weeks. We are resuming on Monday, September 2, 2024, at 8 am. The engagement of the government has been a little bit better. But, we are hopeful that they will sustain this current line of action.”
