TheCable

Abdullahi Ishola, one of the victims rescued from a “torture centre” in Zaria, Kaduna state, says a family member lured him there from Osun state.

Speaking with reporters at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) office in Kaduna on Tuesday, Ishola said he bagged a diploma in mass communications from Ire Polytechnic in Osun.

He also narrated his experience in custody.

“A family member just took me there and all of a sudden, I found myself in chains. I was chained in the leg and hands and ever since then, I have been under unbearable inhuman treatment,” he said.

“I was beaten regularly and denied foods for several days.”

He expressed gratitude to operatives of the NSCDC for facilitating his release.

But Muktar Aliyu, one of the operators of the centres, denied maltreating the inmates, saying the victims were brought to the centre by their parents.

Parading operators of the centre, Nnegha Onyema, the state deputy commandant of the NSCDC, said three inmates died as result of “unbearable conditions at the centres”.

“We bust two of the centres: Limanchi Corner and Marmara Centres all in Zaria and evacuated 11 inmates ranging from 11-40 years of age while one other centre had released their inmates following information that other centres had been busted but we arrested the operator,” he said.

Hadiza Balarabe, deputy governor of Kaduna, said government would take necessary actions against the operators while the victims would be provided necessary medical care before handing them over to their parents.

She called on parents to desist from taking their children to such centres.