As early as 1829, Sir Richard Mayne, in Britain, wrote the following: “The primary objective of an efficient government is the prevention of crime: the next is that of detection and punishment of offenders who commit crime. To these ends, all the efforts of the government through the police must be directed. The protection of life and property, the preservation of public tranquillity, and the absence of crime, will alone prove whether those efforts have been successful and whether the objectives for which the police were appointed have been attained”.
It is important for citizens to feel safe and secure, and the Government has a responsibility to provide this protection. The Government also has the power to make and enforce laws that help to prevent crime and maintain order in society.
On Thursday, July 13, 2023, Prof Ekanem Ephraim, a professor of Neurology with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was abducted by gunmen at her residence.
Around 7:30pm, the kidnappers who disguised as patients arrived the private clinic attached to the doctor’s residence. Her attention was called to review the patient who was in a car outside the clinic. As she approached the vehicle to see the patient, who they claimed was too sick to walk into the hospital, the people in the car came out brandishing guns and whisked her away.
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Immediately after news of her kidnap was heard, the Cross River chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) reported to security operatives of the state. In what can only be described as a commendable act, the new governor Mr Bassey Otu, responded and gave audience to the Excos of the NMA. The governor, deputy governor and the speaker house of assembly have pledged support to help secure the release of Dr Ekanem.
Meanwhile, the kidnappers have reached out to the doctor’s family demanding a ransom of fifteen million Naira. Following the abduction, an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) was held in Calabar where Dr Felix Archibong, chairman of NMA in the state, signed a communique embarking on a total and indefinite strike in solidarity with the kidnapped doctor. The association thereafter resolved to, “To embark on a total and indefinite withdrawal of medical services effective immediately in solidarity with our member still in the hands of her abductors. This withdrawal of medical service will involve all hospitals in the State both federal, State, private and Mission.”
NMA added that, it was not oblivious of the hardship its withdrawal of services would have on the citizens but appealed to the relevant security agencies to ensure a timely release of its abducted member. A peaceful protest was also held, including advocacy visits to traditional rulers, pleading for government intervention for the release or rescue of Prof Ekanem alive.
However, because of the co-operation of the current state government, the chairman agreed for doctors to return to work, while providing only skeletal services. This arrangement was based on the previous administration’s total disregard for doctors in the state. Prior to this incident, a total of seventeen (Dear God!) doctors had been kidnapped in Cross river without any government intervention. Dr Ekanem was the 18th! Can you imagine??
Yet, despite the call for doctors to return to work in the state, many are still scared to come out and many more are said to be in hiding. Who can blame them? In this APC government, how on God’s green earth is a doctor supposed to cough out fifteen million naira to save his or her life?
March 30 is Doctors’ Day, a day set aside to appreciate physicians who help save our lives everywhere. This year, analysis of media reports stated that at least one doctor was reportedly either killed or abducted nearly every month from Jan. 2021 to March 2023 in Nigeria.
On Jan 4, 2021, an armed group kidnapped a medical doctor, Akindele Kayode, at a health care centre overseen by him. His abduction happened during an attack in Ibarapa North Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria, where three others were reported killed. This was followed by the murder of Dr Zechariah Dogonyaro, who was shot dead in the attack on Haske Baptist Church in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2021. The doctor was a staff of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health attached to the primary healthcare centre in Chikun.
On April 4, 2021, the Ogun State Police command in Southwest Nigeria confirmed the abduction of one Dr Oladunni Odetola. Otedola was the head of General Hospital Imeko in the Imeko area of the state. He and a colleague were said to have been ambushed and taken while driving along Abeokuta-Imeko road.
Another medical doctor, Solomon Ndiamaka, who was kidnapped on July 19, 2021, was working with the general hospital Ugwolawo in Ofu LGA of Kogi State, North-central Nigeria. According to reports, Dr Ndiamaka was forcefully taken from the hospital at 8 a.m. by an armed gang.
In the same month, terrorists locally known as bandits stormed a general hospital within the Dansadau community in Maru LGA of Zamfara, Northwest Nigeria, looking for medical doctors and nurses, and abducted a health worker.
This was followed by the murder of Dr Chike Akunyili by a suspected armed gang in Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria, on Sept. 26, 2021. Dr Akunyili, the husband of late Dora Akunyili, was shot dead while returning from Enugu State which is about 112 kilometres away from Anambra.
On February 14, 2022, a medical doctor with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) was shot dead by a suspected armed gang in his house in Benin, Edo State. This was followed by the kidnap of Dr Felix Ekpo after men carrying arms stormed the premises of Cottage Hospital in Mkpat Enin LGA of Akwa Ibom State also in the South-south region on Feb. 22.
And the list goes on and on.
In March 2022, I remember hearing about the abduction of the only medical doctor working in Gubio Village in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria. The doctor was abducted by suspected terrorists believed to be members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP). Reading the news on our Whatsapp group sent shivers down my spine. How can security operatives fail to protect the only doctor that the village has? Was this the price he was going to pay for agreeing to serve the people of Gubio? Do you know how many doctors have turned down offers to practice in rural villages of the north east? And yet, the only one kind, courageous and generous enough to do so, failed to be protected?
Is this how government plans to serve and protect the lives of its citizens?
Little wonder why doctors, young and old are fleeing the shores of this country in droves. As if the poor renumeration, irregular pay, lack of insurance benefits to families of doctors who die in the course of work and ill-equipped health facilities is not enough, security challenges and workplace violence has been added to the list. Double wahala for dead body.
We are not asking for much. Professor Ekanem is a respected colleague and well-loved among family and friends. It has been over a week since her abduction and nerves are becoming frayed due to anxiety.
At the back of my mind is the question: who among us is next?
Dear government, please do the needful.
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