600 workers locked in rice factory from March gains freedom after 3 months(Photos)

The Kano state police command has successfully rescued over 600 workers trapped inside a popular rice factory in Challawa industrial area of the commercial state.

Premium Times reports that the police operatives stormed the factory on Monday, June 22, after obtaining a court order following a tip-off, with four managers of the factory arrested in the process.

The workers, who said they were threatened by their employers, were rescued after three months of being denied access to their family members amid Covid-19 pandemic.

One of the workers whos spoke on anonimity said he has been in the factory since Monday, March 23, without seeing the sky over the fear of the Covid-19.

Another worker with the name Haruna Salihu disclosed. “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.”

Police spokesperson in Kano state, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said further investigations are ongoing.

The manager of the rice mill, who identified himself as Abdulkareem, regretted the incident, saying he was not aware of the workers’ terrible condition.