At least six people have been arrested after the Kano State Police Command discovered an illegal rehabilitation centre housing 113 inmates in the Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

The Command Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, made the disclosure on Tuesday, February 1, according to The PUNCH.

Haruna revealed that the inmates were chained and locked up in the facility with various degrees of injuries resulting from torture.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the illegal rehabilitation centre had been in operation for over a decade, Haruna added, noting that the chief suspect, Musa Safiyanu, who was said to have run the facility was also arrested during the raid.

All 113 inmates have since been rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital in Kano for treatment and handed over to the State Government

The statement read in part, “On the 30/01/2022 at about 1100hrs, a report was received from 10 escaped inmates of an illegal rehabilitation centre, that one Musa Safiyanu, ‘m’, 55 years old, of Naibawa ‘Yan Lemo Quarters, Kumbotso LGA, Kano State is running an illegal rehabilitation centre with chained, tortured and locked inmates, from where they escaped.

“And that, one of the inmates named Aminu Ado, ‘m’, 22 years old, of Na’ibawa Quarters Kano was tortured to death on the 29/01/2022 by Abdullatif Musa, ‘m’, 18 years old, of Na’ibawa Wailari Quarters Kumbotso LGA, Kano State.’’

‘’On receipt of 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 hours surveillance, verify the report, rescue the victims and arrest the culprits.’’

“On 31/01/2022, the scene was visited and 113 inmates were discovered confined and locked up in a room. Some with various degrees of injuries resulting from torture.

“They were rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano for treatment and handed over to the Kano State Government.

“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.