The Cross River chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has announced the non-release of its member and a professor of medicine, Ekanem Ephraim, after 148 days in captivity.

The chapter chairman, Dr Felix Archibong, disclosed this to journalists in Calabar on Monday.

Ms Ephraim of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) was abducted on July 13 in the Atimbo area of Calabar Municipality.

Her abduction prompted the NMA to embark on an industrial action that lasted for 40 days.

The strike was called off after appeals by Governor Bassey Otu, who had said that innocent citizens were being made to suffer due to the industrial action.

“Following a letter of appeal from Governor Otu, the advice of the national president of the association, and for the sake of many of the citizens who are suffering, we suspended the strike to give the government time to rescue our member.

“This action has been carried out despite the fact that our member has not been released; however, if any of our members are kidnapped again, we will go back to strike.

“We are appealing to security agents to step up and maintain the momentum that has been established in the last few weeks, which has reduced cases of kidnapping in the state,” Mr Archibong stated.

However, Mr Archibong said it was regrettable that security agencies and the state government had not been able to secure her release after several promises made to that effect.

While noting that the state had become inhabitable due to the activities of kidnappers, he said several others, including medical personnel, had suffered the same fate as Ms Empraim.

“This is the situation in the state, and it is regrettable that our colleague is still in captivity after 148 days.

“We are trying so hard not to make industrial action another alternative to getting the government and security agencies to keep to their promises,” he stated.

(NAN)