RSG Aborts 50 Kidnap Cases …Assures Doctors Of Protection

The Rivers State Government says it has aborted over 50 cases of abduction in the last one month.

The State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi made this known yesterday while briefing protesting members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker, the governor said the state government has deployed men and resources into the battle against criminality, and assured the medical workers that their safety was of interest to the state government.

“We are equally aware that abductions like this may sabotage or undermine the state government’s efforts towards the improvement of healthcare in the state, and we shall not let that happen because so much has been invested in the sector already”, he said.

Calling on members of the public however to join hands with government in the fight against criminality, the governor explained that the call became necessary “because the kidnappers live with the people and it has become imperative for residents to report all suspicious characters among them”.

He warned that government would not fold its arms and watch anybody for whatever reason, sabotage its effort, expressed sympathy with the Doctors on behalf of the Rivers State Government and assured them that government, would take further steps to protect medical Doctors on call duties.

Dr. Parker however urged the Medical Doctors not to cooperate with the kidnappers, so that they do not see them as good customers.

The Chairman of the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Dr. Bonos Harry had said that they were at the Government House gate to register their protest over the kidnap of one of their female members, and demanded her immediate release without any condition attached.

He recalled that “according to General conventions and other statutory rules, Doctors, Nurses and other medical personnel are not to be harmed globally, even in war times, they are protected, but this kidnap and killings are happening in peace times”.

The NMA Chairman, who stated that the Association was dissatisfied with the ability of the security agencies to stem the ugly tide, said kidnap victims were often moved pass the watchful eyes of the policemen at the check points, before getting to their destinations of incarceration, and urged the police to rise up to the challenge of checking their nefarious activities.