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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Doctors in Abia State, Friday protested the kidnap of one of their colleagues, barricading the major entrance to Government House Umuahia, as they demand his immediate release.
Professor Uwadinachi Iweha was Kidnapped on Sunday, June 6, 2022 inside his dark-blue Highland Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) while driving out of his house at Umuokpara in Umuahia South Local Government Area.
The doctors carried placards with various inscriptions such as: “Doctors lives matter”, “Dr Iweha should be released to his family”, ” Doctors have the right to live”, among others.
Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Abia State chapter, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, who spoke on behalf of the protesting doctors said the abduction of Iweha had thrown the medical community in the state into confusion and apprehension.
He expressed concern that since the sad incident on Sunday, every effort made towards securing his release from the captors had not yielded any fruit.
The doctors sought Government’s urgent intervention to rescue their Kidnapped colleague, while decring the rate of abductions in the country.
The NMA Chairman, threatened that if after 48 hours their Kidnapped member were not released, doctors across the state might have no other option than to down tools as their safety could no longer be guaranteed in the state.
Responding, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu assured the doctors the efforts were being intensified to secure the release of their Kidnapped colleague.
Ikpeazu who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Okey Ahaiwe, said that Government would stop at nothing in ensuring total security of lives and property across the state.
He appealed to the doctors to remain calm while efforts were being made to rescue the abuducted doctor.
The doctors later issued a communique which read in part:”That up till today 10th June 2022, Prof Iweha has not been released from the kidnappers Den.
“That this is traumatic, depressing, dehumanising and has instilled a lot of fear within the medical community whose primary objective is to save the life of Abians from the medical point of view.
“With the current state of fear caused by the kidnap and detention of our colleague, safety cannot be guaranteed to the Medical Doctors in Abia State and it will be difficult to attend to our normal duties since no one knows who will be the next victim.
“We demand immediate release of Prof Uwadinachi Iweha from captivity of the kidnappers.
“The Federal and State Government should put in measures to forestall occurrence of similar event in the future.
“If Prof Iweha is not released in 48 hours, members of the Nigerian Medical Association may be forced to down tools as our security in performance of our usual duties is not guaranteed.
“This communiqué serves as a notice for the aforementioned action”, the union said.
