By our Reporter, Kano.
Kano State police command has says it has rescue over 400 workers in a popular rice factory in Challawa industrial area of Kano State, the workers were forcefully imprisoned within the walls of the industry.
It was gathered that the workers were kept at the factory for three months without the chance to see their family members. They were also threatened with their jobs if they chose to visit their family members at home.
However, police operatives, after obtaining a court injunction, stormed the factory to rescue the confined workers and arrested four managers in the process.
Speaking to journalists about the development, one of the freed factory workers disclosed that they were detained inside the factory due to the fear of bringing in COVID-19 into the factory.
Another worker, who spoke of his dilemma of being inside the factory since March 28, explained that they were not allowed to see their family members during the period they spent in the factory. He recalled occurrences when his wife and kids visited the factory, but he was not allowed to go to visit them.
He further lamented that it started as a trick, when they were told to stay in the factory for just five days, but it keeps getting extended till it clocked three months that they have not been able to see their family members.
A truck driver, who goes by the name, Hashimu Isa, explained his ordeal of being kept in the factory for three days after he brought paddy rice from Kebbi State into the factory.
In his words he explained, “I brought paddy rice from Yauri, Kebbi State. I could not go out of the factory, since my entry three days ago. Even if you attempted to go out, the security would not allow you. I could not go out to give my boy money to buy food. Someone sent me N10,000, but I could not go to the bank to withdraw it. I was waiting to offload the rice, so that I will leave.”
Speaking on the development, Spokesperson of the state Police Command, Abdullahi Kiyawa, confirmed the story and added that four managers of the factory was arrested and that investigation is ongoing to unravel the truth of the matter.
