Armed bandits have abducted babies, nurses and a security guard from residential quarters of National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Centre (NTLC) in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Five staff members of the hospital, including female nurses, were abducted. The principal security guard on duty was also among the people abducted.
According to PRNigeria, a news agency with close ties to security agencies, the bandits arrived in a large number at about 12:30am on July 4 and engaged officers from a nearby police station in a gun battle.
They engaged police officers in a gun battle before they escaped with their victims, the agency reported.
The area where the kidnap occurred, known as Saye District in the outskirts of Zaria, is close to notorious Sabon Birni, Galadima and Malu Forests where armed bandits keep their victims hostage.
Bullet holes were visible on the fence of the police division and National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre.
Confirming the incident, Public Relations Officer of the Medical and Health Union of the Center, Maryam Abdulrazaq, said she compiled six names of those abducted.
She said the latest incident made it the third time their staff would be abducted, stressing;
So far, I have six names of the people abducted but I will try to get the remaining four names by Monday God willing. The principal Security guard on duty, two nurses, Joy Yakubu and Odor and her baby, Lab Technician, Christiana, Kasim from Auditorium office were among those kidnapped.
The attackers were said to have blocked the bridge linking the village with Zaria town, to obviously thwart any reinforcement by the police.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the incident, saying efforts
are on to rescue the victims.
Also, Kaduna Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, revealed that Nigerian troops have intensified efforts to rescue the victims.
