In two separate attacks in the last three days, gunmen, commonly referred to as bandits in the Nigerian press, kidnapped three medical staff and a pregnant woman in Zamfara State.
The attacks occurred on Saturday and Tuesday respectively.
On Saturday morning the gunmen ambushed a doctor, Muhammad Mansur, that works at the General Hospital Dansadau, in Maru Local Government and two female employees of the hospital – a caregiver and a ward attendant – who were travelling with him and abducted them.
Manir Bature, the chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association in the state, confirmed the abduction to Premium time.
He said they were abducted around Mashayar Zaki community on the Magami – Dansadau road.
“We’re disturbed because this is an ugly trend. We urge our members to include him and other abductees in our prayers while the association work with relevant authorities to ensure his timely release in good health,” Mr Bature said.
A relative of the doctor, who asked not to be named for his safety, said the bandits had earlier tried to abduct Mr Mansur.
“They attacked the hospital twice last year and during all the attacks, they kept asking for his whereabouts.”
He said the family was contacted on Monday evening and the gunmen asked for a ransom of N20 million to release the doctor.
Kidnap of pregnant woman
Meanwhile, the pregnant wife of the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees NULGE, Sanusi Isa, has also been kidnapped.
Mr Isa told journalists in Gusau that the bandits attacked his residence in the Damba area of the state capital around 1.23 a.m. on Tuesday and abducted his wife, whom he said was nine-month pregnant.
He said he believed the bandits were there to abduct him because they searched the house looking for him.
“They jumped over the wall and broke my door but before they could enter my room, I was able to hide somewhere.
“When they searched the house and could not see me, they abducted my pregnant wife, Ramatu,” he said.
Mr Isa said the bandits were yet to contact him as of 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.
The police command spokesman in the state, Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to calls and SMS sent to him for comments about the abductions.
Premium time
