Nigeria: Abia doctors threaten indefinite strike over abducted surgeon
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Abia State branch has given security agencies and the governments of Abia and Imo states a 24-hour ultimatum to secure the release of its member, Dr. Bonaventure Aguocha, or face a “total and indefinite” strike beginning 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
The warning was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the NMA Abia Chairman, Dr. Ezenwa Ezuruike, and Secretary, Dr. Clement Ifenkoronye, following an Emergency General Meeting in Umuahia on Monday, June 1
Dr. Aguocha, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon and former Chairman of the NMA Abia branch, was abducted on May 24 while returning to Umuahia from Imo State. The association described him as a teacher, mentor, and dedicated healthcare provider who has rendered “selfless services” in both states.
The meeting, convened to deliberate on his continued captivity, condemned the incident as “one too many” in a disturbing pattern of attacks on medical practitioners. The NMA cited the unresolved 2020 abduction of Prof. Uwadinachi Iweha, former Chief Medical Director of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, as another case that remains without justice.
“Doctors have increasingly become targets of assaults, harassment, intimidation, and abduction by criminal elements, despite their commitment to providing quality healthcare under challenging conditions of poor motivation and remuneration,” the communiqué stated.
The NMA called on the Department of State Services, the Inspector General of Police, and the Commissioners of Police in Abia and Imo to intensify efforts to secure Dr. Aguocha’s freedom. It also urged the governors of both states to deploy all necessary resources and influence to ensure his prompt release.
The association appealed to the Federal and State Governments, security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and well-meaning Nigerians to join efforts to rescue the physician.
It warned that failure to act within the 24-hour timeframe would further erode healthcare workers’ confidence in the government’s ability to guarantee their safety and could severely disrupt healthcare delivery in Abia and Imo states.
The threat of an indefinite strike underscores the rising insecurity facing health workers in the region. Medical practitioners have repeatedly raised concerns about being targeted by criminal groups, often while traveling between duty posts or returning home after shifts.
If the strike goes ahead on Tuesday, hospitals and clinics across Abia are expected to shut down, leaving patients without access to routine and emergency care.
The NMA said it would continue to monitor the situation and would not hesitate to escalate industrial action until Dr. Aguocha is released unharmed.
