Daura Torture centre: Court remands owner, two others in prison custody

A Katsina chief magistrate court has remanded in prison custody, the 78-year-old cleric and owner of Daura rehabilitation centre where inmates were being subjected to inhuman treatment.

Mallam Bello Abdullahi would be in prison custody until 22 October 2019 when his case comes up for mention and when Mallam Nuradeen Abdullahi presiding at the court rules on his bail application.

Also remanded in the custody along with the cleric until that date are Habibu Bello, 28 and Abba Abubakar, 16.

The trio was arraigned at the court on Tuesday on three counts of criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement and cruelty to children.

The police told the court that the accused were facing the charges under sections 97,257(b) and 238 of the penal code law.

The police told the court that on 13th October 2019, information reached the divisional police headquarters, Daura that inmates of the rehabilitation centre numbering over 300 had revolted against the centre management, adding that some of them were seen in Daura town walking around with shackles on their legs.

The court was further told that the inmates were protesting alleged maltreatment and various abuses at the centre.

The police added “On 13/ 10/2019, at about 10:00hrs, information was received at Divisional police headquarters, SabonGari, Daura that one Mallam Bello Abdullahi, 78; Habibu Bello, 28 and Abba Abubakar, 16, all of Daura town, conspired and opened an illegal rehabilitation centre in Daura town to deceive people from various states and neighbouring countries to bring their children between the age of 12 to 16 years and adults, in the name of rehabilitation centre or school for notorious children. Over 300 inmates in chains were inside a house. They continued to maltreat them by beating, insulting and even detain underage children.

“These ill-treatments made them break the house where they had been confined and started running into the town with the chains on their legs, hence the report at SabonGari police station, Daura.”

The police prosecutor, ASP Lawal Koran told the court that investigation on the case was still in progress. He pleaded for an adjournment of the case to another date for mention.

The presiding chief magistrate, while granting the request, also said he would rule on the bail application for the accused persons on 22, October 2019.

He directed that the cleric and the two others be remanded in the prison custody until the adjourned date.