Doctors under the Niger State chapter of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) have issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the state government to secure the release of a kidnapped colleague, warning that failure to act will result in a complete shutdown of health services across the state.
The warning follows the abduction of Dr Tony Eghagagara, Head of Medical Services at New Bussa General Hospital in Borgu Local Government Area, who was taken by bandits on April 22, 2026, at his private clinic in Wawa town.
The ultimatum was announced in a communiqué issued after an emergency general meeting of the association and jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr Mustapha Mohammed Aliyu, and General Secretary, Dr Musa Alhaji Shehu.
In the statement, the doctors demanded immediate action to secure the release of their colleague and called for improved security measures for health workers, particularly those serving in high-risk areas.
They urged the government to deploy dedicated security personnel to protect medical staff during routine duties and emergency calls, citing growing concerns over safety in the line of duty.
The association also called on the government to take responsibility for the welfare of Dr Eghagagara’s family during his captivity, including providing financial and logistical support.
The communiqué described the situation as part of a broader pattern of insecurity affecting healthcare workers, stating that the emergency meeting was convened in response to what it called a systemic failure to protect frontline personnel.
The group warned that if the doctor is not rescued before the expiration of the ultimatum, which runs from midnight on Saturday to Tuesday midnight, its members will withdraw all medical services across the state and proceed with peaceful protests.
It also recalled previous incidents involving the abduction of a doctor at Gulu General Hospital in Lapai Local Government Area and repeated attacks on health facilities, which it said have created an atmosphere of fear among its members.
The association further cited the recent killing of a nurse at General Hospital Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area as evidence of the ongoing threat to healthcare workers in the state.
