El-Rufai, Police Rescue 147 From Another Islamic Rehabilitation Centre
Governor Nasir el-Rufai on Saturday led a team of policemen on an impromptu visit to Malam Niga’s rehabilitation Centre at Rigasa Community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State where one hundred and forty-seven men, women and children were rescued and taken into protective custody by the Kaduna State government.
This is the second time that the police in collaboration with the state government would be busting such centres in same Rigassa where over three hundred persons were rescued from different degrees of torture and chains one month ago.
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo who confirmed the incidence to newsmen said further investigations will be carried out and the owner of the centre who is police custody will be further quizzed.
According to Yakubu Sabo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, the governor, el-Rufai “led the police to the rehabilitation centre to find out what was happening.
“The centre claimed that it was certified to rehabilitate train people in skills acquisition. The owner said they were brought by their parents to undergo rehabilitation as a result of drug abuse or other forms of mental sickness. We will investigate and find out why the people were chained.
“The owner has been arrested and the children have been taken to hajj camp by the state governor for medical checks and eventual reunion with their parents,” he said.
Among those rescued were 20 females, four foreigners from Cameron and Niger Republics and three under-aged children.
The inmates are under the care of the State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development with policemen deployed to guard them.
The Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba who was at the camp confirmed to journalists that 22 inmates were females while four were foreigners.
‘The number of inmates evacuated from the centre was 147 in total among them 22 females while four were foreigners from Niger and Cameroon. We also have underage among the inmates and those who are mentally not stable. We have contacted a psychiatric doctor who will come to examine them,” she said.
Commenting on the raid, the state officer in charge of the National Human Rights Commission in Kaduna, Terngu Gwar strongly condemn the torture and chaining of inmates for whatever reason saying the commission will collaborate with relevant agencies to ensure that justice is done to the inmates.
“There were 147 victims, comprising 22 females and 3 minors. “What we saw was a replica of the slave trade era with humans in chains. It is unfortunate that people are being subjected to the unimaginable torture, inhuman and degrading treatment in this 21st century.
“Women were serially sexually abused. The NHRC strongly condemn these actions. These are totally unacceptable and are clear violations of every human rights standard. The NHRC will collaborate efforts with other agencies of government to ensure that the victims get the needed justice” he said.
