The Kano State Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of a young man at the state’s Reformatory Institute in Kiru, after his family claimed he was tortured during rehabilitation.
The deceased, identified as Musa Yakubu, reportedly returned to Kano from Abuja recently. His relatives noticed signs of drug addiction and decided to admit him to the government-run facility for treatment and counselling in an effort to help him recover.
According to the family, just a few days after Yakubu’s admission to the center, they received a call from the facility notifying them that he had fallen ill and was being rushed to a hospital.
However, before they could process this information, another call arrived with the devastating news that Musa had passed away.
The family grew suspicious when they noticed blood stains on Yakubu’s back while preparing for his burial.
A closer examination reportedly revealed multiple wounds, bruises, and swelling on various parts of his body.
Alarmed by these findings, the family decided to halt burial arrangements and transferred the body to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for further examination.
Preliminary findings from the hospital suggested that Yakubu may have suffered severe physical abuse before his death.
“This was somebody we took there to be helped, not to be returned to us lifeless,” said Isa Umar Laura, a grieving relative. He called on the Kano State Government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible for the alleged torture are identified and held accountable.
In response to the incident, Kano State Police spokesperson, SP Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed that arrests have been made in connection with the case. He assured the public that investigations are ongoing and emphasized that anyone found responsible for the death will face legal consequences.z
