Share

Nigerian police free 259 people from Islamic institution

Nigerian police have freed 259 people from an Islamic rehabilitation centre in the southwestern city of Ibadan, police said on Tuesday, taking the number rescued from abusive institutions since September to nearly 1 500.

Images from local TV station TVC taken after the captives were released showed a group of mostly young men and teenage boys. Many were emaciated. An infant was also among the group.

"We eat one meal a day," freed captive Olalekan Ayoola, told TVC, saying the food was not fit for a dog to eat.

Nigeria launched a crackdown on informal Islamic schools and rehabilitation centres in late September after a man was refused permission to see his nephews at one institution and complained to police.

Many captives have said they were physically and sexually abused and chained up to prevent them from escaping.

180904181123951

Other sites raided in major police operations have been in the mostly Muslim north of the country. Ibadan is in the southwestern state of Oyo, which is predominantly Christian.

Oyo state police spokesman Fadeyi Olugbenga said the facility was raided on Monday at about 2pm (13:00 GMT).

"Yesterday, 259 persons were released. We had women, men and teenagers," Olugbenga said. Some people were locked inside a building and some were chained.

Olugbenga said nine people, including the owner of the centre, had been arrested and were under investigation.

Oyo's commissioner of police, Shina Olukolu, told reporters on Monday that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted to "serve as a warning to others who may want to operate such houses that serve as illegal detention centres".

Spokesmen for President Muhammadu Buhari, who ordered the crackdown, and the vice president both declined to comment.

The president's office issued a statement in October that said: "No responsible democratic government would tolerate the existence of the torture chambers and physical abuses of inmates in the name of rehabilitation of the victims."

Islamic schools, known as Almajiris, are common across the north of the West African country. Such schools have been dogged by allegations of abuse and accusations that some children have been forced to beg on the streets.

At other raided facilities, some parents thought their children were there to be educated and even paid tuition fees. Others sent misbehaving relatives to Islamic institutions to instil discipline.

Muftau Adamu told TVC his parents came to collect him from the centre in Ibadan but were told they must pay one million naira ($3 270) first - and never came back.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
41% - 537 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
59% - 766 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.89
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.82
+0.4%
Rand - Euro
20.37
+0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.30
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE