Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

UPDATE 1-Nigerian police rescue 67 from "inhuman" conditions at Islamic "school"

Published 15/10/2019, 00:42
Updated 15/10/2019, 00:50
UPDATE 1-Nigerian police rescue 67 from "inhuman" conditions at Islamic "school"

UPDATE 1-Nigerian police rescue 67 from "inhuman" conditions at Islamic "school"

(Adds quote from victim in paragraphs 5-6)

By Ahmed Kingimi

MAIDUGUIRI, Nigeria, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Police in northern

Nigeria rescued nearly 70 men and boys from a second purported

Islamic school where they were shackled and subjected to

"inhuman and degrading treatments."

The raid in Katsina, the northwestern home state of

President Muhammadu Buhari, came less than a month after about

300 men and boys were freed from another supposed Islamic school

in neighbouring Kaduna state where they were allegedly tortured

and sexually abused. "In the course of investigation, sixty-seven persons from

the ages of 7 to 40 years were found shackled with chains,"

Katsina police spokesman Sanusi Buba said in a statement.

"Victims were also found to have been subjected to various

inhuman and degrading treatments."

The raid occurred on October 12 in Sabon Garin in the Daura

local government area of Katsina state. Police issued a

statement on Monday and said they were working to reunite the

victims with their families.

Lawal Ahmad, a 33-year-old who was held captive, said he

witnessed sexual assault, beatings and the death of other

captives during his two years there.

"They were just beating, abusing and punishing us every day

with the name of teaching us," he said through tears, adding

"they are not teaching us for the sake of God."

Police arrested one man, 78-year-old Mallam Bello Abdullahi

Umar, for running what they called an "illegal detention/remand

home."

Lawai Musa, a trader who lived near the centre, told Reuters

by phone that families sent unruly men and boys there believing

it was an Islamic teaching facility that would straighten them

out and teach them Islamic beliefs.

"The way he is treating the children is un-Islamic" he said.

"We are not happy, they were treated illegally."

Islamic schools, known as Almajiris, are common across the

mostly Muslim north of Nigeria. Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a

local organisation, estimates about 10 million children attend

them.

In June, President Buhari, himself a Muslim, said the

government planned to ban the schools, but would not do so

immediately. After the incident in Kaduna, the president issued

a statement calling on traditional authorities to work with

government to expose "unwanted cultural practices that amount to

the abuse of children."

Buhari's office declined to immediately comment on the

Katsina raid, saying it would issue a statement after a full

briefing from police.

"The command enjoins parents to desist from taking their

children/wards to illegal, unauthorized or unapproved

remand/rehabilitation centres," the police statement said.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.