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Worried by the incessant abduction of
its members, the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association
(NMA) has petitioned Goodluck Jonathan on the state of insecurity in
Edo State, particularly kidnappings, with the doctors apparently being
the main targets.

No fewer than four doctors have been
kidnapped in the state within the last four weeks, with the abduction
of a couple, Olabisi Ihenyen, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal
Psychiatric Hospital, Benin, and her husband, Lionel, last week being
the latest. The doctors blamed the porous security situation in the
country on insensitivity on the part of government officials at all
levels.

In a petition signed by the
association’s chairman, Philip Ugbodaga; Secretary, Emmanuel Ighodaro
and the Public Relations Officer, Kennedy Alohan, and made available to
NEXT yesterday after it was presented to the president through the
state government, they suggested that the federal government should
also review and redeploy heads of security apparatuses in the states as
he has done at the federal level.

“Kidnapping, which started like child’s
play a few years ago in Port Harcourt, has since assumed a life of its
own and has defied all solutions,” the doctors said. “It has now gone
beyond a remote trend to become a constant part of our existence. As
doctors, we are extremely worried that we are unable to practice our
profession in an atmosphere of fear, anxiety and insecurity.

“In the past couple of months, at least
18 medical/dental doctors have been abducted in Edo State, creating
fear and anxiety in the minds of doctors practicing in the state.
Clearly, Edo is now tops in the despicable crime of kidnapping of
doctors.”

Constant fear

The statement said the security
situation has put doctors in constant fear, as they are unable to
engage in call duty and emergency services rendered after normal work
hours. They, therefore, called for the convocation of a national
conference on kidnapping, to find a way forward.

“The sweeping changes in the top
echelon of the nation’s security apparatus you undertook recently
should be immediately extended to the security establishments in all
states of the federation, and especially Edo State,” he said. “There is
a need to restructure Nigeria to accommodate state and community
policing. The security agencies should stop kidnapping now. We believe
they are capable of doing it if they are ready to work. The general
feeling of the people now is not whether it will happen but when, where
and who the next target would be.”

The doctors said the effect of kidnapping on the state is too
enormous, as it scares away potential investors and robs the state of
the benefit of development opportunities. “It clearly appears to us
that the only safe place to live in Nigeria is Aso Rock,” they said.
“We therefore urge you to deploy the same security arrangement in the
villa to the rest of Nigeria. That is the only way we can be assured
that you are truly working in the interest of the people of this
country.” The NMA also said the scourge of kidnapping is a direct
result of the “long-standing irresponsibility of successive Nigerian
leaders,” resulting from bad governance and corruption. It also blamed
Nigeria’s “sad culture that venerates wealth without regard to its
source”.