About two weeks after the Police uncovered a fake Islamic Center in Kaduna, the Katsina State Command of the Police, have found another ‘fake’ Islamic Centre – Malam Bello Islamic Centre.
The centre, located in Nassarawa Quarters, Sabon Gari, area of Daura, has more than 300 ‘students’. Daura is President Muhammadu Buhari’s home town.
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Sanusi Buba, who led reporters for an on-the-spot assessment of the building housing the centre, described the centre as not only a replica of what transpired at the Kaduna centre but the most dehumanising and sordid habitation no human being can think of living in.
“Our preliminary investigation revealed that Malam Bello, a former Qur’anic teacher for close to 40 years, had been collecting children from their parents on a veiled promise to rehabilitate them. Unfortunately, he does the opposite as nothing Islamic or moral teachings happens here.
“Unfortunately, he chained the ‘students’ – both adult and children – drawn from across the various states of the country, with most of them from Niger Republic, Cote d’ Ivoire and several other African countries and clearly unbecoming of any rehabilitation center.”
Buba said the police command was alerted when the ‘students’ revolted and resorted to violent protests with about 200 of them fleeing with the assistance of neighbours.
He announced the closure of the center and the arrest of Malam Bello and two of his assistants. According to him, Bello’s collaborators, including teachers and his dreaded son, Umar, have gone into hiding.
Alleging that Umar was into homosexuality with the ‘students’,the police chief assured the people that all the suspects would be prosecuted at the end of investigations and after consulting the government and the Emir of Daura
A ‘student’, Lawal Adamu, 33, from Niger Republic, told reporters that each of the six cells at the centre hosts 80 inmates, all in chains and sparingly fed.
“There is no toilet and place for bathing and nothing like praying except torture”, he added
The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar Farouk, urged the Police to go ahead and prosecute Mallam Bello.
The monarch, who made the call when the CP informed him of Bello’s arrest, expressed disappointment over the development and promised to report the matter to President Muhammad Buhari.