About two Nurses and an unspecified number of patients have been reportedly abducted by gunmen from a primary healthcare center in Kaduna state.
The abductors were said to have invaded the health center in Kuyallo, Birnin-Gwari LGA of the state on Monday morning.
According to Musa Alhassan, leader of the vigilante group in the area, who said the assailants’ initial target was the Government Day Secondary School in the area however noted that the gunmen arrived at the school but could not find any student, and headed to the healthcare center which was nearby.
“The bandits came to the school around 9am, but when they discovered that the school was empty, they went to the healthcare center and abducted two female nurses and several patients,” Alhassan said.
When contacted, Mansir Hassan, Kaduna police spokesperson, said he is unaware of the abduction.
“I will get back to you,” he said.
Kaduna is one of the north-west states grappling with gunmen attacks and abductions.
Last Thursday, 15 persons were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Mani village, Chikun LGA of the state.
Nursing mothers and children were said to be among the persons taken away.
Also, on March 7, over 200 students and pupils were kidnapped after bandits attacked Government Secondary School Kuriga, Chikun LGA of the state, while on the 12th of March, bandits abducted about 61 persons in Buda community under Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state and in February, six people were killed when bandits invaded Kwasam community, Kauru LGA of Kaduna.
Bandit and armed gang attacks have increased in the country especially in the North, which has also been dealing with terrorist attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) for over a decade.
The origin of the bandit conflict can be traced back to herder farmer conflicts that plague Nigeria.
Environmental decline and the scarcity of water and arable land led to communities competing viciously for those limited resources.
Large forested areas also allow for concealment and the formation of camps deep in the forest.
Bandits in Nigeria have been known to ride into villages on motorcycles to loot and kidnap the inhabitants, killing anyone who resists.
Kidnapping is a very profitable venture in northwest Nigeria. Between 2011 and 2020, Nigerians paid at least 18 billion naira to free family members and friends.
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