17th January, 2020
Two health workers attached to Makosa village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State for polio vaccine have been murdered by suspected gunmen while two others were injured.
The two victims whose names were given as Lawali Suleiman and Aliyu Mohammed were on duty supervising a polio vaccination centre on Tuesday, when a group of armed bandits stormed the village and headed to the centre where the immunisation was taking place.
It was gathered that the bandits stormed the village around 2.30 p.m. and headed to the Primary Health Center where the polio vaccination was going on and ordered everyone to surrender their belongings.
According to reports, the health workers refused to surrender their handsets. This provoked the bandits and they opened fire on the health workers, killing them instantly.
Two other persons also sustained various degrees of injuries and are currently hospitalised at Zurmi General Hospital.
“After robbing the people of their belongings, the bandits also carted away their animals.” the source said.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command SP Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed the incident, said that those who launched the attack are part of the recalcitrant bandits who stormed the village with the intention of committing a robbery.
“The information we received was that the two health workers lost their lives because they didn’t surrender their handsets to the hoodlums who in turn became angry and killed them.” he said.
He lamented the incident saying the village used to be one of the peaceful areas in the state and assured the villagers that the police would soon fish out those bandits and make them face the wrath of the law.