Agency
The Nigeria Medical Association, Anambra branch, has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo and security agencies to secure the freedom of their colleague, Dr Tochukwu Mbanugo, who was abducted on October 30.
The NMA made the call in a communiqué signed by Dr Princeston Okam and Dr Obiaeli Ifeanyi, Chairman and Secretary, respectively, at the end of an Emergency General Meeting held on Saturday.
The NMA said Mbanugo, a Consultant Neurosurgeon with the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, was kidnapped in front of his hospital at Uruagu, Nnewi, in the evening of October 30.
The NMA said the kidnappers had not established communication with Mbanugo’s family, relatives, friends or colleagues as of the meeting time, urging the government and security agencies to rise to this challenge immediately.
“A 72-hour ultimatum is hereby given to the Anambra government to secure the immediate release of our colleague, Dr Tochukwu Mbanugo.
“If at the expiration of the above timeline and our member’s release is not secured, all the doctors in Anambra State under the aegis of NMA, Anambra, will down tools until our member is released.
“An emergency meeting will be convened within the next 72 hours to review the progress made so far,” it said.
The NMA said relevant government agencies had been duly informed and assured that doctors would continue to deliver quality healthcare services to Anambra people despite the prevailing challenges.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Police were unfruitful as SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra Command, did not respond to calls and messages sent to him.
PUNCH Online earlier reported that some kidnappers have abducted a consultant neurosurgeon Dr Mbanugo, in Uruagu Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government, Anambra State.
The doctor was said to have been kidnapped along the New Nnewi-Oba road in the late hours of Thursday.
A top official of the Nigeria Medical Association in Anambra State, who craved anonymity, disclosed the kidnapping of their colleague to journalists, adding that relevant government agencies had been put on notice.
NAN
