The police in Kano have rescued many workers from a rice farm who alleged that they have been ‘detained’ there for three months.
According to the workers, they were threatened with their jobs if they opted to go home to see their families.
The Kano police command invaded the factory after obtaining a court injunction. Four managers were said to have been arrested while the detained workers were released.
The workers said they were denied access outside the premises of the factory due to the fear of bringing COVID-19 into the factory.
One of the freed workers told journalists that he has been in the factory since March 23rd without setting his foot outside.
Haruna another worker said he had been in the factory since March 28 and was denied time to visit his family and parents. “Our family members are seriously disturbed, as they don’t know the (condition we are in). My wife and my kids used to come to the factory’s gate and I couldn’t go and meet them.
“We were tricked to stay in the factory for five days, then (it was) extended to seven days, then two weeks and subsequently extended to one month. We are now detained for over three months. There are about 600 workers in the factory. We are sleeping in a very poor environment. I am appealing to authorities to allow me to go back to my family.”
Another employee said he was threatened with dismissal if he decided to go outside the factory.
The police spokesperson in Kano, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said they have arrested four management staff of the factory, and investigation is ongoing to verify the allegations against them.