The Command's spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, who confirmed the attack to SaharaReporters on Friday morning on the telephone, however, did not provide details as he said investigation was ongoing.
The Katsina State Police Command has confirmed the brazen attack on Kurfi General Hospital by armed bandits on Thursday.
The Command's spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, who confirmed the attack to SaharaReporters on Friday morning on the telephone, however, did not provide details as he said investigation was ongoing.
According to reports, the attack which took place on Thursday morning, left a security guard at the hospital injured, while four women, including the wife of a hospital staff member were abducted.
But the police could not confirm any casualty or the abduction as the PPRO simply said: "Yes, we received information that there was an attack on the Kurfi General Hospital but we need to confirm who were involved and the nature of the incident."
Meanwhile, the attack, according Daily Trust, occurred around 10:45 am when three bandits, initially unarmed, entered the hospital and were confronted by security guard.
The bandits then turned violent, shooting the guard and taking the four women hostage before fleeing the scene. The attack took place in the Kurfi local government area of Katsina state.
“When they started arguing, the watchman quickly went and locked the hospital gate, unknown to him that other armed members of the attackers were outside," the report quoted a source to have said.
“They jumped over the wall fence and shot the watchman in the stomach. It was thought that he had died but was later given first aid and rushed to a hospital in Katsina."
According to the report, the terrorists initially wanted to abduct one Mustapha Hamza - a casual staff member of the hospital on duty at the time - but he luckily escaped but unfortunately his wife, who accompanied him to the hospital, was abducted in the process.
“Mustapha is a nurse anesthetist and he was needed at the time to attend to a woman who wanted to undergo surgery.
“Usually, his wife would follow him whenever he is called because she would not be comfortable staying back home alone. And that was how she fell victim in the attack,” another source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Kurfi was hitherto more or less a fortified town as bandits hardly gained access due to activities of vigilantes supported by some well-to-do members of the community.
However, that fortification was broken with the collapse of the vigilante group, with some residents blaming it on political differences of some highly-placed individuals in the area.
The chairman of Kurfi Council, Mannir Shehu Wurma, also confirmed the attack.
He reportedly assured that the council authority was on top of the situation.