On Tuesday, police in Kano announced the arrest of one Musa Safiyanu, 55, for operating an illegal rehabilitation center in Naibawa ‘Yan Lemo Quarters, Kumbotso LGA, Kano State, despite a state government ban.
Safiyanu was said to have been arrested along with five other members of his gang.
Confirming the development, Kano State Police Command spokesperson SP Abdullahi Haruna stated that approximately 113 inmates who were confined and locked up in a room had been rescued from the illegal rehab center.
According to SP Haruna, the command received a complaint from ten inmates who escaped from the center informing it about the evil perpetrated by the suspects, which resulted in a quick response and the arrest of Safiyanu and his accomplice.
“On the 30/01/2022 at approximately 11 am, a report was received from ten (10) escaped inmates of an illegal rehabilitation center, that one Musa Safiyanu, 55-year-old, of Naibawa ‘Yan Lemo Quarters, Kumbotso LGA, Kano State is running an illegal rehabilitation center with chained, tortured, and locked inmates, from which they escaped,” he said.
And that, on the 29/01/2022, one of the inmates, Aminu Ado, 22 years old, of Na’ibawa Quarters Kano, was tortured to death by Abdulladif Musa, 18 years old, of Na’ibawa Wailari Quarters Kumbotso LGA, Kano State.
On receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, immediately raised and instructed a team of detectives led by CSP Abdulkarim Abdullahi to mount 24-hour surveillance, verify the information, and arrest the suspect.
“The team immediately swung into action and the report was found to be true. On 31/01/2022, the scene was visited and One Hundred and Thirteen (113) inmates were discovered confined and locked up in a room.
Some have suffered varying degrees of torture-related injuries.
They were rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano for treatment before being turned over to the Kano State Government.
Musa Safiyanu, of Kano’s Na’ibawa Yan Lemo Quarters, is one of six suspects. (2) Abdullatif Musa, 18 years old, of Kano’s Na’ibawa Wailari Quarters, (3) Usman Abdulrauf Imam, 19 years old, of Yanya Abuja, and (4) Mustapha Bala, 20 years old, of Azare, Bauchi State. (5) Sadiq Ismail, 19, of Unguwa Uku Quarters, Kano, Nigeria (6) Umar Bako Abdulwahab, 38, of Kumbotso’s Kureken Sani Quarters Kumbotso LGA, Kano State were arrested.
“During the preliminary investigation, the suspects admitted to operating the center for more than ten (10) years despite the initial ban imposed by the Kano State Government.”
“The Commissioner of Police has directed that a discreet investigation be conducted.” “Suspects will be charged in court once the investigation is completed,” SP Haruna said.
