Incessant bandits’ attacks have crippled medical operations in some parts of Niger State.
For instance, some primary healthcare centres in Shiroro, Munya, Rafi-Kagara and other local councils, were forced to shut down while others operate skeletally amid fears of invasions.
According to Daily Trust, residents and health officials in the affected communities said the prevalent attacks had left permanent scars in their lives as some healthcare officials kidnapped on duty were only released after payment of millions of naira as ransom.
In December 2020, the head of the Primary Healthcare Centre, Garin-Gabas, Rafi Local Government Area, Hajiya Halima Isah, was kidnapped alongside her 18-year-old daughter and was released six days after a N3 million ransom was paid.
Hajiya Halima told Daily Trust she was tortured while in captivity.
She said her abductors invaded her residence around 12 am that fateful night just after she closed from work and took her and three of her children but later released two because they could not trek far.
She said: “We have no single security, even night watchmen guarding our primary healthcare facility despite persistent attacks on this community. When we come for night duty, we don’t have security support; we come here alone to attend to patients. It is a serious problem for us to come out at night to see patients.
“I had to pay N3 million ransom before I was released. During that time, we had to shut down our primary healthcare centre. And since we reopened for services, we have stopped night duties. We only come to work during the day and we ask patients to go back home once night falls.”
