“N540 Million Ransom Demand as Bandits Target Katsina Hospital and Workers”
A staggering N540 million ransom has been placed on the heads of those abducted during a brutal attack at a General Hospital in Kankara, Katsina State. The attack, which took place on Tuesday, left Dr. Murtala Sale Dandashire, a medical doctor, and another victim with gunshot wounds.
Dr. Dandashire was injured during the assault, which also saw several hospital staff members taken by the bandits. Among the kidnapped victims is Yusuf Muhammad Mairuwa, the Assistant Director of Nursing Services and head of the nursing section at the hospital.
Sources confirmed that the bandits have demanded N270 million for Mairuwa’s release and another N270 million for the remaining victims—hospital workers and employees of a fertilizer factory who were also kidnapped during the attack.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State swiftly condemned the assault and reassured the public of his administration’s determination to improve security for healthcare professionals. He acknowledged the progress made in curbing such attacks but emphasized that the state’s mission was far from complete.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Governor Radda said, “We are restrategizing 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.”
The state government has vowed to implement stronger security measures, including increasing personnel presence at healthcare facilities across Katsina.
