An illegal rehabilitation centre has been discovered in the Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State where some children were reportedly locked-up, chained and tortured.
The discovery by the state’s police command followed the escape of 10 children on Sunday who called the attention of the police to the centre.
The police subsequently mounted 24-hour surveillance around the area and eventually rescued 113 children found in the centre.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, who confirmed this in a statement on Monday, said the children were confined and locked up in a room where they were tortured.
Following their rescue, the children were taken to the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital in Kano for treatment and handed over to the state government
Further investigation revealed that the centre is controlled by one Musa Safiyanu, 55, of Naibawa ‘Yan Lemo Quarters.
Also, the police noted that as of Friday last week, one Aminu Ado, 22, was said to have been tortured by one Abdullatif Musa, an 18-year-old, also in the centre.
At the behest of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Sama’ila Dikko, six suspects: Musa Safiyanu, Abdullatif Musa, Usman Abdulrauf Imam, Mustapha Bala, Sadiq Ismail and Umar Bako Abdulwahab, were arrested.
“On preliminary investigation, the suspects confessed to have been operating the centre for over 10 years despite the initial ban by the Kano State Government.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered for discreet investigation. Suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation,” the statement said.
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