From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua Katsina
Police in Katsina State have discovered a house in Sabon Gari quarters of Daura Local Government Area were people were chained like animals and subjected to all kinds of inhuman treatment.
The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Sanusi Bubaa who led a team of journalists and officers of his command to the slave house, disclosed that the police moved in to secure the house when the over 360 inmates of the house revolted against the inhuman treatment they were subjected to.
He added that, on further investigation the police succeeded in smashing the illegal detention home being operated by one 79 years old Malam Bello Abdullahi, adding that on investigation 67 persons from the ages of seven to 40 years were found shackled with chains round their necks, legs and waists.
He noted that, the command has already evacuated the victims to hospitals for treatment while according to him efforts are ongoing to reunite them with their families.
In an interview with our correspondent, some of the hungry looking victims lamented that while in detention they were subjected to all kinds of inhuman treatment, including beating and sexual assault in the name of giving them Islamic education and reforming their character.
They added that, while in the detention rooms, about 40 to 50 of them were crammed into a tiny space where they sleep and defecate on bare floor.
Our correspondent further gathered that while the inmates were revolting, three of their instructors that were notorious for their torture sneaked out and fled to unknown destination.
When the commissioner visited the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruq Umar Faruq to brief him on the development, the emir urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation and prosecute the suspects.
