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NSCDC rescues 25-year-old woman locked up in a room for years in Jigawa

Published

11 months ago

June 1, 2023

The Jigawa State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has successfully rescued a 25-year-old woman who was locked in a room by her father for several years.

According to a statement released by the spokesperson of the NSCDC in the state, CSC Adamu Shehu, the rescue operation was initiated following a complaint lodged by a human rights activist at the NSCDC State Command Headquarters.

The activist reported that a young woman named Ummi had been confined to a room in her father’s house without any freedom.

Following the complaint, NSCDC operatives promptly went to the house and discovered the young woman in an emaciated and unkempt condition.

The statement further confirmed that the father and stepmother of the victim have been apprehended by the NSCDC.

The statement read,

“On Friday, 26th of May, 2023, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Jigawa State Command arrested one Garba Musa, a 67-year-old man from Takur Site, Dutse LGA, Jigawa State, and his wife Aisha Abubakar, a 50-year-old woman, on a suspected case of violence against a person.”

The complaint received by the NSCDC revealed that Ummi, the 25-year-old daughter of the suspect, had been locked up in a room within the house for several years without being allowed to leave. The NSCDC operatives swiftly responded to the complaint and rescued the 25-year-old woman, who appeared emaciated, unkempt, and in a state of depression. The room in which she was confined served as both her living space and toilet, with food being served on the bare floor.

According to the father, his daughter is suffering from a mental illness and had been causing problems in the neighborhood, which was the reason for her confinement. He provided outpatient cards from Kazaure Psychiatric Hospital in Jigawa State, indicating that she had received treatment in 2013, 2014, and 2018.

Investigation into the matter revealed that Ummi’s mother had separated from the father about 30 years ago and had been denied access to her children, despite having six with him. Ummi’s mother is currently married to another man and resides in Huguma Town, Kano State. Aside from Ummi’s brother, who is a public servant, her four other siblings are married.

The NSCDC Command is conducting further investigations to determine the root cause of Ummi’s mental illness, considering that she was in good health up to the Junior Secondary School level before her disappearance. The goal is to find a solution to alleviate her suffering and bring an end to her ordeal.”