By joshua 
Edo NMA Calls For Immediate Release Of Kidnapped Doctor And Medical Students
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State Branch, on Thursday expressed worry over spate of kidnappings in the country with medical practitioners, and now even medical students being targets.
Chairman, NMA Edo State, Dr Eustace Oseghale in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin, said it is worrisome that
medical practitioners, and now even medical students being targets.
He frowned at the surge of kidnappings in the country saying, “A resident doctor at the National Eye Care Center Kaduna, Dr Ganiyat Poopola has been in the kidnappers den for over 8 months with untold physical and psychological harm to her and her family.
According to him, Twenty medical students on their way to a convention were a few days ago also kidnapped in Benue State .
“All these calls for a lot of concern for the safety of medical personnel in Nigeria, especially at a time the war against brain drain in the health sector in order to improve our health systems is being waged. We wonder how we can win the war if we do not tackle insecurity and kidnappings in the country. “Oseghale said.
Oseghale appeal to the Federal Government and the security operatives to immediately ensure the unconditional release of Dr Ganiyat Poopola and the kidnapped medical students.
He called for institution of effective, scalable and sustainable Mechanisms to forestall recurrences of this worrisome acts to reassure Nigerians, including doctors, of their safety as they continue to make their contributions towards National Development.