Zamfara closes illegal rehab centre, relocates 57 inmates

The Zamfara State Government on Tuesday shut down a rehabilitation centre in Gusau for operating without legal approvals from the authorities.

Alhaji Mohammed Maiturare, Commissioner for Special Duties told newsmen in Gusau that there were laws guiding the establishment of such facilities.

He said that the proprietor of the centre, Malam Iliyasu Abdullahi, had been operating illegally, adding “ we shall relocate all 57 inmates made up of adults and children.”

According to him, the centre is in a messy state and lacks basic hygiene and sanitary measures suitable for such facility.

Maiturare said that inmates below 18 years of age would be taken to remand homes while those above 18 would be moved to the state-owned rehabilitation centre in Bungudu.

The commissioner further said that the state government would hand the owner of the centre over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

Meanwhile, the owner of the centre, Abdullahi told newsmen that the facility had been functional for about 30 years.

“We have rehabilitated several persons with different challenges, everybody in the centre was brought by their parents, guardian or relative,” he said.