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Activities at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and
the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) were yesterday brought
to a halt as both the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), UNIBEN
chapter, and the Association of Resident Doctors, UBTH chapter,
embarked on separate protests, calling for the immediate release of Mr.
Eugene Okpere, a professor and the former Chief Medical Director, CMD,
of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, who was kidnapped
on Sunday morning.

The protesting doctors barricaded the ever-busy Ugbowo-Lagos Road, resulting in heavy vehicular traffic.

They also hijacked one of the recently
commissioned Edo Intra-City buses, and discharged all the passengers
who demanded a refund of their fares.

Chairman of the UBTH Resident Doctors, Omoigo
Casmir, said the state was no longer conducive for them to practise
their profession. He said they would from today embark on total strike
action and would no longer attend to emergency cases.

“We are protesting the incessant kidnappings in
the state. We want the government to wake up and fight kidnappings and
other crimes in the state. We don’t know what has happened to all the
kidnappers they have arrested,” Dr. Casmir said, calling for a total
overhauling of the security personnel in the state.

The lecturers protested through some major streets in Benin City, ending at the State Government House in GRA.

Chairman of UNIBEN ASUU, Kenneth Ilavbare, said they were demanding
the release of Mr. Okpere, who is a lecturer in the medical school of
UNIBEN.