Police rescue over 600 workers in Kano rice mill

The Kano State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the rescue of over 600 labourers who were compelled to stay for three months in a rice mill, Popular Farm Rice, in the Challawa Industrial Area of the state.

It was gathered that some policemen stormed the factory on Monday after obtaining a court injunction, arresting four managers and releasing the detained workers.

The workers were allegedly denied exit out of the company for fear of bringing in coronavirus.

The workers were initially asked to stay back at work for two weeks without going to their respective homes after which they were asked to stay for another two weeks only to end up spending over three months without seeing their families and not properly fed.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the incident.

The police spokesperson, who said four management staff of the mill had been arrested, added that investigation was ongoing into the allegations against the firm.

He said, “We found many workers locked up and enslaved in the factory. The Commissioner of Police, Habu Sani, has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.”