UCH doctors call for arrest of herdsmen who kidnapped colleagues

IBADAN—FOLLOWING the abduction of two doctors by herdsmen on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the National Association of Resident Doctors has faulted the delay in the arrest of the kidnappers saying the unimpressive response of the police portends danger for other medical practitioners across the country.
Armed herdsmen
It, however, threatened to declare a state of emergency if President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris fail to take urgent measures.
National President of the association, Dr. Ibisola Babalola, who addressed newsmen, yesterday, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, said: “Two of our colleagues, Dr. Damola Olufajo and Dr. Tayo
Odebunmi, were kidnapped by three herdsmen. The doctors are now calling on President Buhari and the Inspector General of Police to ensure that the culprits are apprehended. Until the suspects are arrested and brought to book, our lives are not safe. These hoodlums could be lurking around the UCH waiting for doctors to kidnap.”
“Nigeria, with a population of 180 million, needs at least
300,000 doctors to take care of the people. But, due to the dearth of doctors in the country, we only have less than 35,000. With this trend of insecurity, More doctors may leave the country. We want the IGP to use his professionalism to save the day.”
“Atrocities along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway need to be stopped. The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, is not
 happy and we will not take it with kid gloves. For the police to convince us, these people must be arrested. It is still a big surprise to us that the policemen from Ishara police station are yet to arrest the culprits. We thought it would not take this long since the ransom was paid very close to a red  colour  police vehicle stationed there. In fact, the same car was seen at Ishara Police station. All the attackers were herdsmen.”
Narrating his ordeal toVanguard, in a telephone interview, one of the abducted doctors, Dr. Tayo Odebunmi said: “We were  travelling  on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, some men blocked our car and we made a u-turn when we perceived that danger was lurking. As we turned, another group also made attempt to block us and when we tried to avoid them, our vehicle ran into a ditch. They caught the two of us but I
managed to escape while my colleague was still held by the kidnappers.”