less than three weeks after a school with about 300 persons, including minors was discovered in shackles, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai on Saturday led a raid on another illegal rehabilitation centre in Rigasa community, Igabi local government area of Kaduna State.
During the raid at the rehabilitation centre called Malam Nigga Rehabilitation Centre, 147 inmates including 22 females and five children were evacuated by the state government.
The illegal rehabilitation centre is owned by one Dr. Lawal Yusuf Muduru, otherwise known as Malam Niga, who has been arrested by the police for further investigation
Some of the inmates who spoke with journalists alleged being dehumanized and severally abused sexually.
The inmates were given temporary shelter at Mando Hajj Camp, as some among them received first aid treatment and tested for possible ailments.
One of the inmates, Hauwa Muhammad, a 22 year old lady from Nasarawa who admitted taking cocaine, said she was taken to the centre by her father 11 months ago for treatment.
She however said, instead of getting treatment, she has been subjected to daily sexual abuse by one Hassan Sani Dauda, a son in-law to the Centreโs Proprietor.
According to, โMy parents brought me from Abuja 11 months ago. I was into drug, I use to take cocaine, that is why my father brought me here. But, instead of getting treatment, I have been sexually abused severally.
โI have been through horror, Malam Niggaโs son in-law, Hassan Sani Dauda, raped us daily. If it not me, it is another lady. It was like a daily thing for him. We have reported him severally to Malam Nigga, but he never believed us. He also make us make love to ourselves, I mean lesbianism.
โFor me, there is nothing like treatment there apart from beating us. They also put some leaves inside fire and cover us with the smoke under blanket to inhale the smoke, that all they call treatment.โ She said.
Asked whether she has been healed from drugs, Miss Muhammad said, โeven if I donโt believe there was any treatment there, the sexual abuse I have been through in the hands of Hassan is enough for me to learn my lessons. Just because I will never want to experience such abuse, I will never go into drugs again.โ
Another inmate, Maryam Lawal, 21, from Kaduna also alleged been sexually abused severally by the said Hassan.
She said she was taken to the centre by her father because she used to go to her friendsโ houses, but she was never into drug.
Ibrahim Musa a graduate of Software Engineering from Borno State said, he was brought to the centre seven weeks ago, but he had seen hell.
He said, the proprietor was only interested in using the inmates for cheap labour. They engage inmates in domestic chores and production of furniture and other things, which the proprietor sells and make profit from.
Commissioner for Social Development and Human Services, Hajia Hafsat Baba, while speaking to newsmen at the Mando Camp said, the Governor himself led the raid on the centre due to news of dehumanization of inmates going on at the centre.
She confirmed that 147 inmates were rescued from the centre, adding that, they include nationals of two neighbouring African countries.
She however said that, profiling of the rescued inmates was ongoing, after which they will be reconciled with their families.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Police Command also issued a statement following the raid, saying that, โat about 0800hrs, the Governor of Kaduna State Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai led Police Operatives of the Command to the NIGAS Rehabilitation and Skills Acquisition Centre located at Rigasa Kaduna for an On-the-Spot Assessment where it was discovered that about one hundred and forty seven (147) inmates both male and female were found mostly in shackles (chained).โ
According to the commandโs PPRO, DSP Yakubu Sabo, during the raid, some of the inmates made certain allegations of maltreatment including sexual molestation particularly by the female inmates against some male inmates.
He added โFollowing this discovery, the Governor directed that, all the inmates be evacuated to Hajj Camp located at Mando Kaduna for proper profiling and safe custody.
โSimilarly, the Police have arrested one Dr Lawal Yusuf Muduru a.k.a Malam Niga, the owner of the Centre to investigate him on the said allegations. He is currently helping investigation at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of the Command. The Command is also investigating the authenticity and validity of the registration document the suspect claimed to possess.
โThe Commissioner of Police CP Ali AJI Janga, has reiterated his commitment to fight all forms of crime and criminality in the state without fear or favour. He appeals to the general public to continue to support the Command in the current battle against criminality,โ he said
