Nigerian resident doctors suspend strike, resume work amid ongoing abduction crisis

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The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has instructed its members to resume work today, following a seven-day nationwide warning strike.

The strike was initiated in response to the abduction of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who has been held captive for eight months.

Dr. Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was kidnapped on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew.

While her husband was released in March, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity.

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The strike, which began last Monday, was intended to pressure the Federal Government to secure the release of Dr. Popoola.

The doctors were undeterred despite the government’s threat to enforce a ‘no work, no pay’ policy.

Speaking on Sunday, NARD President Dr. Dele Abdullahi announced the suspension of the strike and stated that members would return to work on Monday, September 2, 2024, at 8 am.

He also noted that the association would review the government’s commitment to addressing their demands within the next three weeks.

“We are suspending the strike now. We will be meeting to review the progress the government has made in the next three weeks. The engagement of the government has been a little bit better. But, we are hopeful that they will sustain this current line of action,” Dr. Abdullahi said.