A polio worker who narrowly missed death in the hands of gunmen
in Kano narrates her experience, writes David
Attah
in Kano narrates her experience, writes David
Attah
Although she was shot in the head and leg, she never
ceases praising Allah. As she narrated her ordeal, each sentence was
punctuated with the name of Allah.
ceases praising Allah. As she narrated her ordeal, each sentence was
punctuated with the name of Allah.
“All I could remember was that we had just settled down for work
on the fifth day of the exercise when suddenly we heard gunshot outside. That
was all I could remember,” said the 29-year-old mother of four, Zahara’u
Ayuba.
on the fifth day of the exercise when suddenly we heard gunshot outside. That
was all I could remember,” said the 29-year-old mother of four, Zahara’u
Ayuba.
She is one of the few lucky ones that survived the attack by
yet-to-be apprehended assailants that unleashed terror on health workers on
immunisation routine in Kano penultimate Friday. She was among the four people
rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
yet-to-be apprehended assailants that unleashed terror on health workers on
immunisation routine in Kano penultimate Friday. She was among the four people
rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
Zahara’u told Saturday
Punch on her hospital bed on
Wednesday that her survival was just a miracle. She
said, “When we were preparing for the day’s work, we never knew
that death was lurking around the corner.”
Punch on her hospital bed on
Wednesday that her survival was just a miracle. She
said, “When we were preparing for the day’s work, we never knew
that death was lurking around the corner.”
Another survivor is Naja’tul Salisu, also a health worker. She
was rushed to the Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital where she had some bullets
removed from her body.
was rushed to the Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital where she had some bullets
removed from her body.
However, Sadi and Ibrahim, two siblings
of the same parents, were not so lucky. While Sadi was felled by the attackers
bullets on the spot, Ibrahim later died at the Intensive Care Unit of the Aminu
Kano Teaching Hospital.
of the same parents, were not so lucky. While Sadi was felled by the attackers
bullets on the spot, Ibrahim later died at the Intensive Care Unit of the Aminu
Kano Teaching Hospital.
The gunmen who rode on a tricycle popularly known as “Keke
NAPEP”, the Saturday Punch gathered, attacked two separate health
centres on that fateful day. One at the Kauyen Alu Primary Health Care, Unguwa
Uku in Tarauni Local Government Council, and Hotoron
Haye in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state. Simultaneously,
the gunmen opened fire on the health workers. They were all
motionless, a situation that gave the attackers the feeling that they had
successfully accomplished their mission. At the end of the operation, nine
persons, mostly women were confirmed dead while six others sustained
various degrees of injury as result of gunshot. Not satisfied, the gunmen set
the health centres ablaze.
NAPEP”, the Saturday Punch gathered, attacked two separate health
centres on that fateful day. One at the Kauyen Alu Primary Health Care, Unguwa
Uku in Tarauni Local Government Council, and Hotoron
Haye in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state. Simultaneously,
the gunmen opened fire on the health workers. They were all
motionless, a situation that gave the attackers the feeling that they had
successfully accomplished their mission. At the end of the operation, nine
persons, mostly women were confirmed dead while six others sustained
various degrees of injury as result of gunshot. Not satisfied, the gunmen set
the health centres ablaze.
“Initially, on sighting the gunmen, we thought they were
bringing patient to the hospital, but when they alighted from the Keke Napep, they brought guns
and shoot into the air before attacking the health workers,” said a witness who
did not want his name in print.
bringing patient to the hospital, but when they alighted from the Keke Napep, they brought guns
and shoot into the air before attacking the health workers,” said a witness who
did not want his name in print.
That was the calamity that befell defenceless health
workers out to eliminate the child-killer disease – polio in Kano State where
the disease is most prevalent. They were about going out for an
exercise to round off the four-day polio vaccination campaign when the
met their death.
workers out to eliminate the child-killer disease – polio in Kano State where
the disease is most prevalent. They were about going out for an
exercise to round off the four-day polio vaccination campaign when the
met their death.
According to Siddiqa Ayuba, 25, and sister to one of the
survivors, Zahara’u, when the incident took place, the entire family were left
in confusion. She told Saturday
Punch that the incident sent
the entire members of the family in different directions in search of the
sister. She was grateful to the state government for footing the medical bills
of the survivors and other well-meaning individuals that came to their aid when
the incident occurred.
survivors, Zahara’u, when the incident took place, the entire family were left
in confusion. She told Saturday
Punch that the incident sent
the entire members of the family in different directions in search of the
sister. She was grateful to the state government for footing the medical bills
of the survivors and other well-meaning individuals that came to their aid when
the incident occurred.
“I was about going out when the news filtered in that my sister
had been shot by gunmen. It was my sister’s husband who called to tell us that
his wife was shot. Upon receiving the news, I became dumbfounded. In fact,
my husband had to snatch the handset from me. We then divided
ourselves to search for the hospital she was rushed to. My elder brother
went to the Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital while my husband went to
the Murtala Muhammed Hospital. It was on our way that we got a phone call
that she(sister) was at the Emergency Ward of the Aminu Kano
Teaching Hospital,” she said.
had been shot by gunmen. It was my sister’s husband who called to tell us that
his wife was shot. Upon receiving the news, I became dumbfounded. In fact,
my husband had to snatch the handset from me. We then divided
ourselves to search for the hospital she was rushed to. My elder brother
went to the Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital while my husband went to
the Murtala Muhammed Hospital. It was on our way that we got a phone call
that she(sister) was at the Emergency Ward of the Aminu Kano
Teaching Hospital,” she said.
Narrating her ordeal, Zahara’u told our correspondent that she
was grateful to the Almighty Allah because she is alive and will see her four
children again. Since her travails, the children, she said, had been under the
care of her sister.
was grateful to the Almighty Allah because she is alive and will see her four
children again. Since her travails, the children, she said, had been under the
care of her sister.
Condemnations have continued to greet the dastardly act even as
the Nigeria Police Force has yet to make any arrest, one week after the
incident took place. But the Inspector General of Police, Muhammadu
Abubakar, has vowed to apprehend killers of the nine health
workers, who were on routine immunisation in the state.
the Nigeria Police Force has yet to make any arrest, one week after the
incident took place. But the Inspector General of Police, Muhammadu
Abubakar, has vowed to apprehend killers of the nine health
workers, who were on routine immunisation in the state.
Abubakar, who was accompanied by the Minister of Police Affairs,
Caleb Olubolade, on a visit to sympathise with the people and
government of Kano State over the attack on the convoy of the Emir of Kano,
Alhaji Ado Bayero, which claimed six lives, hinted that the police had spread
their dragnet in their effort to track down those behind the dastardly
act. He said that the incident should not be regarded as a security collapse.
Caleb Olubolade, on a visit to sympathise with the people and
government of Kano State over the attack on the convoy of the Emir of Kano,
Alhaji Ado Bayero, which claimed six lives, hinted that the police had spread
their dragnet in their effort to track down those behind the dastardly
act. He said that the incident should not be regarded as a security collapse.
“We will do everything within our capacity to restore
peace to the ancient city of Kano. We urge the people of the state to assist
the police in providing relevant information, as well as intelligence reports
that will help the police to nail the perpetrators of such crimes,” Abubakar
said.
peace to the ancient city of Kano. We urge the people of the state to assist
the police in providing relevant information, as well as intelligence reports
that will help the police to nail the perpetrators of such crimes,” Abubakar
said.
The umbrella body of the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum,
has condemned the attack on the polio workers. It noted that the
attack was unacceptable, adding that the attack was not only absurd but
“meaningless.”
has condemned the attack on the polio workers. It noted that the
attack was unacceptable, adding that the attack was not only absurd but
“meaningless.”
The forum, in a statement by its National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said that the attack was mindless and
that the Northern group would continue to condemn the mindless resort to
violence as a means of resolving perceived grievances.
Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said that the attack was mindless and
that the Northern group would continue to condemn the mindless resort to
violence as a means of resolving perceived grievances.
“To that end, ACF appeals to such group of people to lay down
their arms and embrace the civilised ways of addressing their concerns. Also,
ACF commiserates with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the
attacks. Our heart goes to them. May God give them the fortitude to bear the
irreparable losses and to repose their souls,” ACF said.
their arms and embrace the civilised ways of addressing their concerns. Also,
ACF commiserates with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the
attacks. Our heart goes to them. May God give them the fortitude to bear the
irreparable losses and to repose their souls,” ACF said.
Journalists Against Polio viewed the attack as a setback
in Nigeria’s fight against polio and the campaign for immunisation, especially
in Kano which has the highest polio cases in country. JAP’s National Chairman,
Mr. Kunle Sani, said, “The killing of 10 vaccinators by unknown gunmen in Kano
State is a dastardly act that must be condemned by all. It is shocking,
puzzling and a setback for Nigeria’s target to achieve zero case of polio by
June and interrupt the spread of the disease by December 2013.”
in Nigeria’s fight against polio and the campaign for immunisation, especially
in Kano which has the highest polio cases in country. JAP’s National Chairman,
Mr. Kunle Sani, said, “The killing of 10 vaccinators by unknown gunmen in Kano
State is a dastardly act that must be condemned by all. It is shocking,
puzzling and a setback for Nigeria’s target to achieve zero case of polio by
June and interrupt the spread of the disease by December 2013.”
A coalition of civil rights groups in the north, under the
umbrella of National Civil Society Coalition on Immunisable Disease
Awareness? described the incident as “unfortunate,” adding that the
incident should not be allowed to deter effort in ridding the North of the
killer disease by the Federal Government.
umbrella of National Civil Society Coalition on Immunisable Disease
Awareness? described the incident as “unfortunate,” adding that the
incident should not be allowed to deter effort in ridding the North of the
killer disease by the Federal Government.
Besides, the members of the Civil Society Coalition in a
statement at the weekend in Kaduna, after an emergency meeting, said that the
intention of those behind the killings of the Polio workers in Kano State was
to ensure that the disease of Polio continued to ravage the North.
statement at the weekend in Kaduna, after an emergency meeting, said that the
intention of those behind the killings of the Polio workers in Kano State was
to ensure that the disease of Polio continued to ravage the North.
“The civil society coalition on public awareness on national
immunisation have totally condemned the attack on polio vaccination workers
in Kano,” said the coordinator, Dr. Mustapha Mohammed, adding
that “the attack is an attempt to undermine and subvert the current
national immunisation efforts against polio in Northern Nigeria.”
immunisation have totally condemned the attack on polio vaccination workers
in Kano,” said the coordinator, Dr. Mustapha Mohammed, adding
that “the attack is an attempt to undermine and subvert the current
national immunisation efforts against polio in Northern Nigeria.”
Kaduna-based civil rights activist, Mallam Shehu Sani while
condemning the attack, blamed Islamic clerics for the widespread of polio
and other communicable diseases in the region, adding that “polio immunisation
is in the best health interest of Northern Nigeria.”
condemning the attack, blamed Islamic clerics for the widespread of polio
and other communicable diseases in the region, adding that “polio immunisation
is in the best health interest of Northern Nigeria.”
Sani told Saturday
Punch that the criticisms and
attack against immunisation programme is unfounded, unwarranted,
ill-informed and uncivilised insisting that “those Islamic clerics that
are opposed to the immunisation exercise against polio are not doing so out of
scientific reasons or religious reasons.”
Punch that the criticisms and
attack against immunisation programme is unfounded, unwarranted,
ill-informed and uncivilised insisting that “those Islamic clerics that
are opposed to the immunisation exercise against polio are not doing so out of
scientific reasons or religious reasons.”
According to Sani who is the president of the Civil Rights
Congress, the attack on vaccinators in Kano was a direct “product
of fanatical preachings and teachings by these clerics.” He urged the people
“to resist this campaign of misinformation and to avail themselves of projects
and programmes aimed at improving their health and their children.”
Congress, the attack on vaccinators in Kano was a direct “product
of fanatical preachings and teachings by these clerics.” He urged the people
“to resist this campaign of misinformation and to avail themselves of projects
and programmes aimed at improving their health and their children.”
Sani warned that the current attack on health workers in
parts of the North would be a setback to the region where different kinds
of diseases are prevalent.
parts of the North would be a setback to the region where different kinds
of diseases are prevalent.
He said, “Almost all diseases that have been wiped out in other
parts of the world like leprosy, polio and chickenpox are still prevalent in
the Northern parts of Nigeria as a result of the silent campaign against
immunisation, lack of education and misinformation by archaic clerics that are
out of touch and out of tune with the realities and changes in the modern
world.
parts of the world like leprosy, polio and chickenpox are still prevalent in
the Northern parts of Nigeria as a result of the silent campaign against
immunisation, lack of education and misinformation by archaic clerics that are
out of touch and out of tune with the realities and changes in the modern
world.
“The resistance of the clerics to immunisation, and other
programmes of vaccination has contributed a lot in crowding our streets in the
Northern states with beggars and physically challenged people. Our religious
clerics are standing against science; they are also standing against logic and
reason with their misinformed gospel.”
programmes of vaccination has contributed a lot in crowding our streets in the
Northern states with beggars and physically challenged people. Our religious
clerics are standing against science; they are also standing against logic and
reason with their misinformed gospel.”
Source: Punch
