Kaduna community begs for governor’s intervention as hospital refuses treatment for victims injured by bandits

Residents of Angwan Rimi village in the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have appealed for Governor Uba Sani’s intervention after the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital suspended treatment for children injured in a recent banditry attack.

The hospital was said to have stopped care over unpaid medical bills.

The community, in an open letter signed by a stakeholder of the Irigwe Community Development Association, Barnabas Chinge and Raphael Joshua, said the August 24, 2025 attack left several children with life-threatening injuries and many families displaced.

The victims were initially treated at the Federal Medical Centre, Kafanchan, before being referred to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital on August 27 for advanced care.

According to the letter, the hospital stopped dispensing drugs and issuing prescriptions after an initial N500,000 deposit from Kauru Local Government Chairman, Bashir Dawaki, was exhausted, leaving an outstanding bill approaching N1 million.

The Chief Medical Director, Prof. A. Musa Tabari, reportedly wrote to the council chairman on September 1 seeking further payment, but no response has been received.

“Our children remain in pain and we can no longer bear the cost of their ongoing treatment,” the community leaders wrote.

“So far, we have spent over N500,000 on drugs and cannot afford to buy more.”

They thanked Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, House of Representatives member Muktar Zakari Chawai, and Kaduna Assembly member Haruna Barnabas Danmaigona for financial contributions that enabled the burial of seven victims killed in the attack.

The community pleaded with the governor to settle the outstanding bill and direct the hospital to resume full treatment for the injured children.

Neither the Kaduna State Government nor the management of Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital have responded to the community’s letter.