73
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 3, 2019
CICERO
Editor:Olawale Olaleye Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819
IN THE ARENA
Containing the Epidemic of ‘Detention’ Centres Government must properly prosecute the operators of illegal detention centres across the country, writes Olawale Olaleye
T
he images and stories of the experiences of many of the inmates are like a déjà vu – gunning for a quick recall of the slave trade history. They spoke to man’s inhumanity to man especially when one has to deal with the reality that they had endured the alleged suffering for many years. They writhed in pains, anguish and humiliation, whilst their tormentors smiled away their subjugation. Sadly, nothing so far has justified this illegality apart from the fact that the operators of these satanic centres insisted that inmates were brought in out of the freewill of their folks. Not in the foreseeable future did any one of the inmates think help would come so soon. But it did a few weeks back, starting, not surprisingly, with a BBC expose on the Rigasa, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State detention centre hitherto believed to be an Islamic study centre. However, reports, a fortnight ago, that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a nationwide raid of illegal detention centres in the name of Islamic or rehabilitation centres, further breathed some relief on the horizon. This, of course, came in the wake of recent discoveries of different detention centres in many parts of the country, including Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Kwara States. The President also sounded a serious note of warning that his administration had zero tolerance for criminality and human rights abuses such as the enslavement of children, men and women in fake rehabilitation centres. What started with a raid on September 26, in Rigasa, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where over 300 male children and adults were reportedly rescued from a torture home soon opened up other discoveries from whence gory details of inhumanities were narrated with emotion-evoking voices! The incident, of course, culminated in the Inmates in one of the detention centres arrest of seven teachers at the centre, including its proprietor, Mallam Ismaila Abubakar, who insisted he did students confessed to being abused homosexually, while some nothing wrong other than teach the detainees Islam. said they were subjected to the daily recitation of the Holy Quran Less than two weeks after this development, the Kaduna and prayers with torture. State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, led men of the State Police One of those who were saved by the police alleged that Command to raid another torture home, known as the Mallam some of their fellow inmates had even died, whilst one of the Niga Rehabilitation Centre, at the same Rigasa, Igabi Local sexually abused alleged to having had about five abortions for Government Area of the state. the operator of the centre and his children who took turns to During this operation, 147 captives including men, women abuse her sexually. The abortions, she claimed, were done locally and children were also rescued. The detainees comprised of with herbs. How more inhuman to someone else’s children can 125 males and 22 females, among whom four were said to be anyone be, sadly, in God’s name? foreigners from Cameroon and Niger Republics. And typical of It was therefore in view of this development that President enslavement, most of them were found in chains. Buhari gave the order for nationwide raid of such centres and Whilst the horrendous news from some of Kaduna’s detenalso commended the police for acting swiftly upon tipoff. tion centres was yet to subside, another yet illegal Islamic camp Although some of the operators of the centres had been situated at Gaa-Odota (Idi-roko) of Ilorin West Local Government reportedly arrested, the images presented by these discoveries Area of Kwara State, was discovered. At this centre, 108 inmates, suggested that government must ensure proper investigation of comprising 103 males and five females were rescued. the abuses and make sure that everyone involved in the illegality Unfortunately, the narrations of the experiences of all the faces the full wrath of the law. The allegations were too grave to victims, even though from different locations, were almost the merely scoff at. same. Some of the victims as young as five years old said they What could also be deduced from the discoveries so far is had been held captive for many years. They said they were that there could still be more detention centres in many parts of tortured, sexually abused and starved. Many of them, with the country. Therefore, government must launch a nationwide visible injuries, had metal chains around their ankles. campaign to expose these agents of the devil and their work The police also hinted that some of the inmates were from by soliciting for cooperation from members of the public, who Burkina Faso, Mali and other African countries and that the would offer information and be protected through confidential-
ity. Truth is that no one can quantify the extent of damage that this development had caused the country; that in this age and time, such enslavement still existed in a nation of laws and constitutionality and yet, government had no clue it had gone on for many years. It is also commendable that government was already taking the pains to reunite some of the people with their folks. What is of the essence in entire approach is the genuine rehabilitation of these detainees, some of who had lost touch with realities and might have been made monsters by no choice of theirs. Even more compelling is their health care. There is a serious need to attend to their health, given the condition of where they had been kept for many years and had not received any serious medical attention especially, that a majority of them had one injury or the other that they now carry about. Since certain infections could be contagious, it therefore behooves government that while it desires to reintegrate them with their folks, they do not bring along with them what could crush a large population by taking the medical angle very seriously. But what’s crucial, in the final analysis, is that a very instructive and in fact, telling example is made of the ones already arrested by properly prosecuting them. Illegal detention centres cannot form part of the challenges that the Nigerian people have to deal with at this time, when government could make that go away in a jiffy.
P O L I T I CA L N OT E S
Tinubu: Putting EFCC on the Spot
L
Tinubu
ast week, the trio of Deji Adeyanju, convener, Concerned Nigerians; Ariyo-Dare Atoye of the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution and Adebayo Raphael of the Free Nigeria Movement stirred the hornet’s nest. They submitted a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), asking it to investigate the two bullion vans that were sighted at the residence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during the general election early in the year. Curiously, this development might turn out a tough one for the commission and for many reasons. But if the EFCC had been hiding behind the fact that no one had petitioned it on the matter before hence the reason it
could not act. It is yet to be seen what more is there to say again with the petition. But one thing is certain and it is the fact that the movement of the kind of money that would require the use of two bullion vans is definitely an infraction of the Money Laundering Act. Although there have been arguments that the vans could be conveying something else, which is true, like frozen chickens or exquisite election souvenirs. That’s for those pondering possible defence to advance. However, it would not be forgotten so soon that when accosted during the election, Tinubu didn’t deny moving money with the vans; he only asked if he stole anyone’s money. Whatever it is, a petition has been submitted and the people have a right to know. All eyes on the EFCC!