Police Continue Hunt on Illegal Rehabilitation Centres, Discover Another One In Ilorin With 108 Victims
- Victims narrates their tales in the hands of the owner.
- Police to continue investigation on centers across the country.
The Nigeria Police Force have discovered another illegal rehabilitation centre, Sumuratu Mumeen Arabic Centre, Gaa-Odota Area in Ilorin. Kwara state capital, with one hundred and eight inmates living in inhuman conditions.
According to the force, the center held in its confines one hundred and three males and five females with ages ranging between twelve and forty, several of whom were chained, looking malnourished and unkempt. This is allegedly as a result of being denied food for days.
Speaking on their experience, some of the rescued inmates who admitted to being wayward and drug users, said it was a horrific one, calling on the government to ensure the closure of such centers across the country.
READ: Another Illegal Centre Busted By Security Operatives, Chained Victims Rescued
The police will further investigate the victims to ascertain the claims of being dropped at the center willingly before they are returned to their parents.
This is coming on the heels of several discoveries of such centers in Kaduna, Kano, Niger and Katsina so far. Some of the women in those centres had alleged being subjected to sexual abuse.
Same was for one of the women rescued in Ilorin, Olaide Arikewuyo, who alleged that she is being raped daily by the uncle of the operator of the centre.
“I am living with the owner of the centre in their apartment and the uncle used to have carnal knowledge of me every night.
”Since I have nobody to turn to and it is not easy to escape from there, I have been abused by five men. In the process, I got impregnated and had three abortions. I just thank God that the police came to my rescue,” she said.
According to the State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the command acted on intelligence surveillance and raided the centre.
“Some of the victims were observed to have some forms of infections and diseases and were not treated while some others were mentally ill.
“Some of them during interview claim they were brought to the centre by their parents,” said the CP.
Other victims tell their tales
Also speaking, one of the victims, Waliyu Ali, said his parents brought him there because he was addicted to Indian Hemp, adding that they believed that the place was a rehabilitation centre. He had said he had to stop smoking Indian Hemp after spending some months there.
“My parents brought me there because I am a drug addict and they want to stop me from taking hard drug. But to my surprise I was chained and beaten up mercilessly and taken underground where other guys like me were kept when my parents left.
”I was kept in a dungeon for four months where there was no sunlight or window and no proper food,” Another victim, Abdulazeez Korede said.
Another inmate, Tope Owonifari, also disclosed that he was taken there by his parents because he was troublesome and used to smoke cigarette. According to him, the founder collects N15,000 monthly food allowance from his parents, but he was not given proper meal.
“The owner of the centre charged my parents N200, 000 for the treatment and I have spent four days here which is like four years to me,” he added.
