A Kogi-based medical doctor, Dr Rukayat Musa, who was kidnapped on June 21, 2022, has regained freedom from the hands of her abductors.
Musa was kidnapped along Geregu-Ajaokuta stretch of Geregu Ajaokuta-Lokoja road while returning from an official assignment at Anyigba in Kogi State.
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kogi State chapter confirmed this on Sunday in a communique issued at the end of its Ordinary General Meeting (OGM).
The communique, which was jointly signed by the State NMA Chairman, Dr Abubakar Hassan and Secretary,
Dr Chimezie Udebuani, said Musa was released on Saturday, June 25, 2022, unhurt after five harrowing days with the kidnappers in the forest.
The association observed the worsening security situation in Kogi State, noting that hoodlums are making life unbearable to the good people of the state.
According to NMA, some of its members have fled Kogi State, and more are still fleeing as a result of the poor security situation in the state and Nigeria in general.
The statement further said, “As it stands now, it is as if every citizen is waiting helplessly for his/her turn to be kidnapped. The security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police are understaffed and are not as sophisticated in technology and weaponry as the kidnappers.
“Kidnappers have become more emboldened and daring because of the lack of capacity of the security agencies. Kidnapping of medical doctors and health professionals in Kogi State has the capacity to disrupt medical and healthcare services, and also create tension amongst the practitioners”.
The association, however, called on the government, particularly the Kogi State Government to immediately step up efforts at supporting the security agencies to upgrade their capacity to deal with kidnapping in the state.
It added that there is a need to reverse this ugly situation of insecurity in the State so that the other achievements of the government will not pale into irrelevance.
