Bandits: Katsina Govt Shuts Down 69 Healthcare Facilities Over Insecurity

Incessant banditry attacks and other terror activities have led to the shutting down of no fewer than sixty-nine (69) primary healthcare facilities in Katsina State.

Naija News understands that Governor Aminu Masari’s led government directed the closing of the health centres in communities most affected by terrorist attacks in the state.

Conversing with newsmen on Tuesday (today), the Executive Secretary, Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency Dr Shamsudeen Yahaya said the affected facilities were located in Jibia, Safana, Batsari, Faskari, Sabuwa, and other similar communities having security challenges.

The government official narrated that two of such recently renovated facilities were burnt down by terrorists in Batsari Local Government Area, Naija News reports.

Yahaya added that there was a lamentation from the staff of the Agency who work in the hard-to-reach communities every week.

He noted that some of them have been requesting to be transferred to other areas considered to be safer.

He said, “Some of the facilities especially in those compromised local government areas have a challenge accessing them. For example, we renovated two facilities in Batsari but they were attacked and burnt by bandits.

“Right now, about 69 facilities are closed down in Jibia, Safana, Batsari, Sabuwa, Faskari and other LGAs due to insecurity and we had some of our staff that were kidnapped but later on they were released.

“Another challenge is that almost every week, we receive requests from our staff, especially females, that they should be moved from those areas to either Katsina, Batagarawa, or Kaita. These are the issues that we are facing.”