Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has suspended three officials of the state’s Reformatory Centre in Babbar Ruga over allegations of torture that led to the amputation of an inmate’s hand.
Dikko’s decision was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Alhaji Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, Secretary to the State Government, and signed by the Director of Press, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu-Yar’adua.
According to the report, the inmate, identified as Usman Musa. sustained critical injuries resulting in the amputation of his left hand and severe damage to his right hand, allegedly due to mistreatment while in custody.
The governor also approved a sum of ₦970,000 to cover Musa’s medical expenses and an additional ₦35 million for the procurement of a sensor-enabled prosthetic hand to aid his rehabilitation.
The officials suspended include the Principal of the Centre, Abdulzahir Abubakar; the Vice Principal, Bala Abubakar; and a porter, Yunusa Yusuf. Their suspension follows the submission of a report by a government committee tasked with investigating the incident.
Governor Radda directed the immediate dismissal of Murtala Suleiman, a casual staff member who was involved in the torture.
As part of broader corrective measures, the governor accepted the committee’s recommendation to upgrade the reformatory centre in line with international standards for correctional facilities and inmate welfare.
The Special Adviser on Public Administration and Service Reforms, Alhaji Usman Isiyaku, who chaired the investigative committee, has been tasked with overseeing the implementation of the approved reforms and ensuring compliance with the new standards.
