From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
Police in Kano have rescued about 126 Nigerian labourers confined inside an Indian owned Rice Mill, Popular Rice Limited, where they were forced to engage in hard labour since late March this year, even with the COVID-19 lockdown.
The AUTHORITY gathered that the labourers were forced to work during the lockdown period against their wish, with a promise to add N5000 to their salary.
Though some online newspapers reported that the “abducted” labourers were over 300, the spokesman of Kano state Police Command, Abdullahi Haruna confirmed to our Correspondent that police rescued 126 labourers from the company, while four officials were invited for questioning.
According to the police spokesman, “on the 21 June, 2020, at about 6 P.M., a complaint was received from Global Community for Human Right Network, Kano, that some labourers were wrongly confined inside Popular Farms and Mills Limited located at No. 54 Challawa Industrial Estate Kano.
“On receipt, teams of Policemen were deployed and when search was conducted, 126 labourers trapped inside the Factory for three months were discovered. Investigation is in progress.”
