The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Katsina State Council, on Tuesday threatened to withdraw the services of nurses and midwives working in hospitals located along the frontline and vulnerable areas in the state.

Chairman of the association, Nura Mu’azu issued the threat while addressing newsmen. His address was titled ‘Health Worker You Are On Your Own’.

Mu’azu said the threat is effective from Thursday 30th January 2025 by midnight until the needful is done.

This comes 14 days after gunmen kidnapped one of the association’s members, Yusuf Mai-Ruwa, who is described as a most hardworking, skilled and vastly experienced professional in the state health sector.

It was gathered that Mairuwa was abducted while on duty at the General Hospital Kankara on Tuesday 15th January 2025.

The association, while demanding for immediate provision of robust security in all the hospitals in the frontline areas, said immediate measures must be put in place by the authorities to ensure the safe release of Mairuwa and other captives.

It also demanded immediate compensation to its members who were subjected to one loss or the other due to insecurity while on duty and better remunerations to attract more health workers for better healthcare delivery.

“Nurse Mai-Ruwa was taken unawares under the threat of guns and taken away alongside other health workers to an unknown destination; their whereabouts and condition hitherto unknown.

“Nurse Mairuwa is a family man, with a wife and children whose means of livelihood, peace of mind and future were abruptly truncated.

“He falls victim while in the line of duty, and this has aggravated the fear in every health worker serving in the frontline and vulnerable areas as it has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that no healthcare worker is safe despite our immeasurable sacrifices to society and humanity.

“The situation has equally scratched the scar/wound that we all have from related cases such as the killing of our late colleague Nr. Murtala Isah Safana (working then with the General Hospital Dutsin-ma) was killed by Gunmen in 2022,” the association said.