The Kwara state police command Thursday uncovered and bursted an Illegal detention camp in Ilorin,UMAR BAYO ABDULWAHAB reports.
The inmates
From their look one did not need a physician to tell us that they are sick, under feed and need urgent medical attention.
Probably some of them will be at the emergency ward of an hospital if they consult a doctor as they look very weak, pail and unkept.
That was probably some of the best words to describe the health condition of the 108 rescued inmates of the Illegal detention house or call it house of horror, uncovered by the operatives of the Kwara state police command in Ilorin Thursday.
Untreated infectious diseases
The news of the discovery was coming less than 24 hours when the Kwara state government embarked on the disinfection of rivers and other places within Ilorin metropolis as a measure towards preventing relapse of polio diseases.
The disinfection exercises followed a recent discovery of polio virus in the river in the state and was done to mark the word day against polio with a view to creating more awareness and campaign against the scourge.
The state government had also set up a an environmental task force with a mandate to evacuate all refuse and ensure the environment is clean within 72 hours.
While residents of the state are applauding the proactive steps being taken by the governor AbdulRhman AbdulRasaq’s administration, came the breaking news that the operatives of Kwara state police command uncovered and bursted an illegal detention camp in Ilorin where it rescued 108 inmates including children.
With some children among the inmates rescued from the illegal detention camp , there are concerns about the possible out break of infectious diseases if the victims are not properly treated before they will be reunited with their families.
But who shoulders the responsibility? Police, state government or families of the victims who have for long given out their wards to the owner of the camp for care without minding the environment where they were kept. These are the questions begin for answers from concerns members of the public.
Inmates recounts
Some of the rescued inmates who managed to speak to Journalists narrated their ordeals.
“We were chained in legs and without food. Besides, we were kept in overcrowded rooms without light and beaten without any reasons”, said one of them who would not mention his name.
Owners’ defence
The owner of the centre, Alhaji Abdulraheem Owotutu, explained that those found at his rehabilitation centre were brought by their families for treatment and promised to assist the police with information on how to contact the “detainees” families.
How police uncovered illegal camp
Briefing Journalists in Ilorin during the parade of owner of the centre at the state police command headquarters Ilorin, the state commissioner of police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun said the command acted on intelligence reports.
“This afternoon the command acted on impeccable intelligence about the existence of an illegal detention camp at Geri-Alimi within Ilorin Metropolis where young persons mostly children are being unluckfully detained and kept in most deplorable condition some of them have been in that detention camp for over five years, some of them are in chained and they have been in that condition for so long period of time, some of them have diseases that are not treated, infectious diseases that are not treated but are allowed to be spreading in the camp, it is so bad that fellow human can be kept in that kind of condition especially children but I’m happy that the raid operation this afternoon has terminated that the raid operation.
Police operation
“This operation this afternoon was carried out after a painstaking surveillance of the illegal detention camp and its surrounding I can assure you that the perpetrator of this illegal act will not be allow to go unpunished.
“This is just an operation that we carried out this afternoon, we are investigating the claims that some parents brought these children there, yes I have interviewed some of them who also told me that their parents brought them there we are investigating all those thing the report would be made public.
“They are 108 that we rescue today, five females, we would find out those of them who said that their parents brought them we would invite their parents to come and confirm that to us then we would know what to do from their some of them said they were actually kidnapped and brought to that detention camp we would investigate that whatever action we are taking, I can assure you that we would let the public know about it”, the CP said.
