Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Abia State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has confirmed the release of its member and renowned orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Bonaventure Aguocha, who was abducted on May 24, 2026, while returning to Umuahia from Imo State. Dr. Aguocha spent nine days in captivity before regaining his freedom on June 1, 2026. The news was announced in a statement by the NMA Chairman, Dr. Ezenwa Ezuruike, and Secretary, Dr. Clement Ifenkoronye, which confirmed the immediate suspension of the indefinite strike that had been scheduled to commence on June 2.
The NMA praised the roles played by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and Senator Hope Uzodimma of Imo State in securing the surgeon’s release. The association also expressed profound appreciation to the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and other groups involved in his rescue. The medical body acknowledged the prayers, solidarity, and sustained advocacy of the public throughout the ordeal.
The abducted doctor is a former chairman of the Abia State NMA, a teacher, and a mentor who had rendered “selfless services” in both Abia and Imo States. His abduction had triggered widespread alarm within the medical community, leading the NMA to issue a 24-hour indefinite strike ultimatum to security agencies and the governments of the two states. The union had warned that failure to secure his release would result in a “total and indefinite strike,” which would have severely disrupted healthcare delivery across Abia State.
The NMA described the incident as “one too many” in a troubling pattern of attacks on medical practitioners, referencing the unresolved 2020 abduction of a former Chief Medical Director of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Professor Uwadinachi Iweha. While expressing relief at Dr. Aguocha’s release, the association condemned the recurring targeting of healthcare workers. “Doctors have increasingly become targets of assaults, harassment, intimidation and abduction by criminal elements, in spite of their commitment to providing quality healthcare under challenging conditions of poor motivation and remuneration,” the communique stated.
In their statement, the NMA executives called for an end to attacks on doctors and demanded a thorough investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of the abduction to serve as a deterrent. They noted that the continued targeting of doctors, as seen in the unresolved case of Professor Iweha, severely undermines the morale of professionals already working under difficult conditions. The association further called on federal and state governments to urgently strengthen security around healthcare workers and facilities to prevent a recurrence.
Dr. Aguocha’s safe release has brought relief to his family, colleagues, and patients, and the NMA has wished him a speedy recovery from the physical and psychological trauma of the incident. The association reaffirmed its commitment to serving the Abia people and to continued engagement with government and security agencies to guarantee a safe working environment for all doctors. The suspended strike action had been averted, but the broader crisis of insecurity targeting medical professionals remains a pressing issue demanding urgent and lasting solutions.
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