By Milcah Tanimu
Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a registrar in ophthalmology at Kaduna’s National Eye Centre, has been freed after 10 months in captivity. Abducted on December 27, 2023, with her husband and nephew at the centre’s senior staff quarters, her ordeal extended months longer than her husband, who was released in March following negotiations.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) held a warning strike in August to protest her continued detention. On Thursday, NARD spokesperson Omoha Amobi confirmed her release. Dr. Osundara Tope Zenith, NARD President, expressed immense relief, thanking everyone who contributed to her safe return.
Popoola’s nephew has also been freed, bringing closure to a case that underscores Nigeria’s security challenges. Recently, gunmen abducted Rev. Father Thomas Oyode in Edo State, highlighting the persistent abduction threat in the country.
