Sokoto multimillion naira hospitals lie abandoned as residents struggle for medical care
By Tunde Omolehin
Despite the Sokoto Government’s pledge to address rural healthcare challenges through the construction of three multimillion-naira hospitals in Tambuwal, Binji, and Sabon Birnin LGAs, these projects have remained abandoned four years after contracts were awarded, leaving underserved communities to endure preventable tragedies. Tunde Omolehin reports.
One hot evening in May, 15-year-old Adama Umaru sat outside her father’s house in Gora village, Tambuwal Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State. The sweltering 40-degree Celsius heat had driven everyone outdoors for fresh air. Suddenly, Adama felt a sharp sting on her right foot. Within seconds, it struck again faster and more painfully. A venomous snake, known locally as the “black vampire,” had attacked her.
Fifteen-year-old Adama Umaru receiving treatment for a snake bite at Tambuwal General Hospital, Tambuwal, Sokoto State
Her family rushed her to the General Hospital in Tambuwal, desperately hoping for life-saving treatment. Instead, they were met with disappointment as the hospital had no antivenom injections in stock. The doctor on duty prescribed the medication, leaving Adama’s parents scrambling to find it elsewhere.
At a private pharmacy, they found the antivenom, but it came at an exorbitant cost of N45,000. Adama’s father, a farmer with just N30,000 on hand, begged the pharmacist for the injection, promising to pay the balance later. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
“I was told it cost N45,000, but I only had N30,000 that night,” said her 57-year-old father.
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“I begged to pay the balance later, but they refused.”
For two days, Adama endured excruciating pains at home, unable to access treatment. When this reporter visited, she lay on her sickbed, her leg swollen and bruised. Her recovery was painfully slow, and her family’s ordeal highlighted the dire state of healthcare in Sokoto’s rural communities.
An aerial view of the abandoned Premier Hospital in Tambuwal town, Sokoto State.
In Tambuwal, Binji, and Sabon Birni Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Sokoto State, residents grapple daily with poor access to healthcare. Life-threatening emergencies often spiral into tragedies due to the lack of functional medical facilities. Despite the government’s promise of three Premier Hospitals designed to address these gaps, the multimillion-naira projects remain abandoned years after their contracts were awarded.
A signpost details of the prototype architecture design of the Premier Hospital buildings.
Had Tambuwal’s Premier Hospital been completed, Adama’s family would not have had to scramble for lifesaving treatment. Instead, their despair underscores the consequences of broken promises in Sokoto’s healthcare system.
Some of the abandoned containers at the Premier Hospital in Tambuwal town, Sokoto State
This has resulted in a relentless healthcare crisis. Diseases like malaria, cholera, and measles spread unchecked, while residents travel long distances for care they cannot afford. Pregnant women and children bear the brunt of this neglect, often with fatal consequences.
Some of the abandoned Mixer Machines at the premises of a Premier Hospital, in Binji town, Sokoto State.
The promises of premier hospitals
In July 2020, the Sokoto State Government unveiled an ambitious plan to construct state-of-the-art hospitals in the three senatorial districts, claiming they would provide advanced medical services including emergency care, diagnostic testing, and surgical services to underserved communities. Yet today, these promised lifelines remain unfinished.
Contractual documents obtained by this reporter showed that the hospitals were designed to provide advanced services, including emergency care, surgeries, diagnostic testing, and pharmaceutical services. State-of-the-art equipment was promised, making the facilities reference centres for Sokoto’s three senatorial districts.
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“These hospitals were conceived to provide care for the most underserved communities,” said Dr. Muhammad Inname, the then Commissioner for Health. “They were meant to transform healthcare delivery across Sokoto.”
Initially, the hospital project costs were pegged at N1.7bn for Tambuwal and Sabon Birnin hospitals each. A few months later, the state government approved the construction of a third hospital in Binji, bringing the total cost to N5.4bn. The premier hospitals in Tambuwal and Binji were awarded to Sazak Acres Biloque Company (SABC) Ltd and Al-Jamil Company Nigeria Limited respectively.
Another signpost that contains details of the contractors and prototype design of the proposed Premier Hospital in Tambuwal town, Sokoto State
Further investigations revealed that both SABC and Al-Jamil are indigenous construction firms with Nigerians on their boards. However, while SABC has a registered office at Plot 2248, Cadastral Zone B08, Jahi District, FCT, Abuja, Al-Jamil’s corporate details remain elusive. Despite being awarded a major contract, no verifiable online presence or identifiable office address for Al-Jamil could be confirmed, though indications suggest it is based in Sokoto State.
Both companies (SABC and Al-Jamil) received 30 percent mobilization payment to commence the projects.
“We have released N6.2 billion to six contracting companies as 30 percent mobilisation for the execution of over N20 billion projects across the state.” Abdulsamad Dasuki, former Commissioner for Finance said while giving an update on the projects in October 2021.
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With less than two months remaining in his second and final term, the then-Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal citing inflation approved additional funds for the projects to raise the total cost of the Premier Hospital in Tambuwal, which initial contract sum was N2.7bn to N4bn while additional N990m was approved for the Premier Hospital, Binji town, raising the total cost from N2.7 billion to N3.7 billion.
Both the governor and contractors assured residents that the hospitals would be completed in less than six months. Despite these grand promises, the reality is glaringly different.
On June 13, 2024, this reporter visited the Premier Hospitals in Tambuwal and Binji. Both sites were in a state of disrepair, their buildings abandoned and surrounded by overgrown grass. In Tambuwal, the security guard, Abdulhakim Isah described how vandals had stripped the hospital of valuable materials.
“Unknown people have stolen construction materials meant for the hospital,” he said. “There’s no supervision, so they come at night to loot.”
In Binji, the situation was no better. Community leader Musa Aleiro lamented the waste of resources.
“Who supervises these funds?” he asked. “If the contractors were paid, why are we still left with empty buildings? We need the government to complete it, but no one seems interested.”
Residents blamed the stagnation on corruption and mismanagement.
“The government spent billions on these hospitals, but we are still left to suffer,” said Sani Jabbi, a resident of Tambuwal.
“Why start a project if you won’t finish it?”
The impact of neglect
The failure to complete these hospitals has had devastating consequences. Outbreaks of diseases like dengue fever, malaria, and cholera have become routine. In November 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control confirmed over 1,000 cases of measles in Sokoto, with children disproportionately affected.
Local clinics, which serve as the only option for many, are overwhelmed.
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“Our facilities are not conducive,” says Saidu Ahmed, a Community Health Extension Worker in Tambuwal. “We attend to patients outside because the buildings are unsafe. We don’t have the equipment or supplies to do our jobs.”
Saidu Ahmed, A Community Health Worker at Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) Tambuwal, Sokoto State.
The absence of well-equipped healthcare centres also hampers effective disease surveillance and containment efforts. A cross-section of health workers in Tambuwal town where one of the Premier Hospitals is located disclosed to this reporter that patients often delay seeking treatment because of the distance to functional hospitals or the costs involved. These delays frequently lead to complications and, in some cases, preventable deaths.
Additionally, the incomplete hospitals have eroded public trust in government projects. Residents of Binji, many of whom are already economically disadvantaged, express frustration and cynicism about future promises.
“If the government cannot deliver on such critical projects after years, how can we believe anything they say about healthcare or development?” asked Musa Aleiro, a community leader in Binji.
Another Tambuwal resident expressed his displeasure in the government, comfortable seeing the facilities rot away.
“The government keeps approving money, but nothing happens,” said Musa Ali. “It’s heartbreaking to see this waste.”
Healthcare experts also weighed in on the findings, highlighting systemic issues and their far-reaching impact.
Dr. Musa Jabbi, a public health expert and Managing Director of Sandwich Medical Diagnosis Center in Sokoto, attributed the dire state of healthcare to chronic underfunding and poor planning. “Many public healthcare facilities are in poor condition, lacking essential supplies, equipment, and trained personnel,” he said. “In rural areas, hospitals and clinics are either non-existent, overwhelmed, or facing severe shortages of beds and other critical resources. This often leads to high mortality rates, particularly in underserved communities.”
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Similarly, Dr. Lawrence Goodluck, a Sokoto-based medical doctor, criticized the state government’s reactive approach to public health issues. “The failure to invest in healthcare infrastructure and preventive measures has left the population vulnerable to diseases that could easily be prevented or managed,” he said.
Dr. Goodluck added that the neglect of healthcare projects like the Premier Hospitals exacerbates an already fragile system. “When basic facilities are left abandoned, it signals a lack of commitment to public health and undermines the trust needed for effective healthcare delivery,” he said.
Govt officials keep mute, offer flimsy excuses
Efforts to get answers from officials knowledgeable about the projects have been met with deflections. When contacted, Haruna Adams, a site engineer for one of the contractors, Al-Jamil Company (Nig) Limited, blamed the delays on the transition to a new administration. Adams confirmed that the previous government had fulfilled part of its financial obligations, including a 30 percent mobilization fee.
“The new government is reviewing inherited projects,” he said. “We need assurances of payment after project completion before resuming work.”
Adams also recounted security challenges within the locations of the projects.
“These factors have put the projects on hold. Except if there are fresh commitments from the current government regarding the progress of these projects, I doubt if the completion of the project will happen soon.”
Efforts to reach Babatola Titiloye, Project Engineer at (SABC), who handled the project at Tambuwal LGA for clarification yielded no fruitful outcome. An email was sent to his known email address despite message delivery didn’t get any response.
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Former Governor Tambuwal’s aide, Abubakar Abdulnasir said the previous administration had done its part. “It’s now up to the current government to complete the projects. I am not in a position to comment on why the projects have been stopped but the former governor has done its bit. You can go to the Ministry of Works if you want more information about the project completion status.” Abdulnasir said.
Several visits paid to the Sokoto Ministry of Works to speak with the Commissioner on the findings of this report and the progress of the projects were futile. Despite multiple visits, officials declined to provide detailed responses. When asked about the progress of the projects, State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Idris Gobir, who also serves as Deputy Governor distanced his ministry from the projects.
Speaking through his Director of Press, Garba Mohammed, Gobir clarified, “The hospital projects are not directly under the Ministry of Works. We only send our engineers to supervise the projects. The Ministry of Health can give more insight into why it was abandoned.”
In a subsequent inquiry, Asabe Balarabe, the state Commissioner for Health, assured that the current administration is prioritizing the completion of abandoned health projects, including the Premier Hospitals.
“The governor is keen on revitalizing most abandoned projects in the health sector. We are aware of the importance of these Premier Hospital projects, and the governor is committed to completing them,” Balarabe said.
Meanwhile, Hon. Kabiru Dauda, Chair of the Sokoto State House of Assembly Committee on Health, said the Assembly is pressuring the government to prioritize the projects. “We’ve submitted recommendations to the governor, urging him to complete the hospitals,” he said. “These facilities are crucial for rural communities.”
Speaking in an interview with SolaceBase, Hon Dauda said that his committee is not unaware of the status of the project.
“We have embarked on an oversight visit to these projects in Tambuwal and Binji LGAs. We have equally invited the contractors and we are aware of their commitments to get back to the sites.
In response, Abubakar Bawa, spokesman for the current governor, stated that the administration is reviewing all inherited projects to ensure accountability. “The governor is committed to prioritizing the health and well-being of Sokoto’s residents,” Bawa said. “All these projects will be completed in due time as part of the governor’s aspirations for the state.”
While these assurances signal some hope, the lack of coordination and clear accountability between government ministries raises concerns about the likelihood of timely completion. For now, residents of Sokoto are left waiting as political and bureaucratic hurdles prolong their access to the promised healthcare infrastructure.
This SolaceBase publication is produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusion and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
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