CROSS RIVER: Medical workers seek release of colleague

The Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Cross River State branch, has called on the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, to help intensify the search and release of their abducted colleague, Dr Vivien Otu.

The victim, who is a Senior Registrar in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Friday in the Marian area of Calabar, the capital state.

Dr Otu was said to have been abducted at the wake of one of her colleagues’ mother.

In a statement by its President, Dr Bassey Nakanda on Sunday, also appealed for the intervention of the wife of the state governor, Linda Ayade; and the Director-General of the Women Development Centre, Mary Eta.

The group stated, “It is even worse when the victim is a woman and it affects the entire populace. Health care delivery is affected, as all doctors feel threatened, discouraged and demoralised.

“As women and mothers, we hereby call on the state government, security agencies and relevant authorities to leave no stone unturned in bringing to an end this incessant occurrence among medical doctors and other citizens of the state, and to secure the immediate release of Dr Otu.”