In the wee hours of Tuesday, armed bandits assaulted the Abdulsalam Abubakar General Hospital in Gulu, Niger State.
According to reports, the bandits killed two people and kidnapped numerous others, including the hospital’s doctor, and pharmacist.
The event, it was learnt, occurred at 2am. Gunshots fired by the bandits woke up residents neighbouring the hospital, who fled their homes for safety.
At the time the enemies of the state were through, two people reportedly died. One of the deceased is simply known in the area as Ya-Tachi.
Many other people were abducted, according to an eyewitness, and they include the head of Peri Op and his wife; the Head of clinical, Dr. John; the Head of haematology, Usman Zabbo; the wife of the head of nursing and his two daughters; the head of medical laboratory; wife and daughter of the chief pharmacist and some relatives of patients.
Why the attack lasted, FirstNews learnt that nobody interfered. Security agents, including local vigilance group members, were nowhere near the hospital.
The incident was confirmed in a statement on Tuesday by the state Governor Abubakar Bello.
Bello, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje said, “The recent attack and killing of some persons at Gulu General Hospital and the abduction of unspecified numbers of innocent people including medical personnel are callous, inhuman and condemnable.
“We are deeply concerned about the recent rise in armed banditry and kidnappings in Gulu communities when we are rejoicing and consolidating in the successes so far recorded in other affected areas, but as a responsible government we’ll not rest on our oars until we triumph over evil.”
Bello bemoaned the recent wave of unrest in that area of the state, adding that the targeted attack on the hospital is unfortunate and highlighting the necessity for quick, stepped-up security operations to prevent impeding the efficient provision of healthcare in the area.
As a result, he urged the state’s Joint Security Taskforce to put an end as soon as possible to the frequent armed banditry, kidnappings, and indiscriminate attacks on a number of communities in Gulu, Lapai Local Government Area of the state.