Bandits have demanded N540 million in ransom for the patients kidnapped this week from a general hospital in Katsina’s Kankara local government area.
A medical doctor and one other person were injured by gunfire during the hospital incident on Tuesday, January 21.
Dr. Murtala Sale Dandashire was shot as bandits invaded the hospital, kidnapping several of the staff members.
Yusuf Muhammad Mairuwa, an Assistant Director of Nursing Services and director of the hospital’s nursing unit, was one of the kidnapped victims.
According to reports, the attackers sought a ransom of N270 million to release the nurse.
The bandits have also demanded another N270 million for the other hospital personnel and five employees of a fertilizer industry kidnapped near the hospital during the attack.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State, in a statement published by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, said:
“We are restrategising our security approach to ensure that our medical professionals can perform their vital duties without fear.
“The safety of our healthcare workers and residents remains our paramount concern.”
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli