The Bauchi State Police Command has rescued a middle-aged man said to have been locked up and kept in chains by his father for about 17 years in Shadawanka village, Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The command’s spokesman, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed in a statement on Monday that the victim, identified as Muhammad Lawan, popularly called Babangida, was freed on Sunday, February 16, 2026, after a concerned resident alerted security operatives to his plight.
Habib said a team of detectives, led by the Divisional Police Officer of ‘B’ Division and accompanied by the command’s spokesperson, stormed the residence where the man was allegedly held.
According to the police, the victim was discovered in a frail and malnourished condition before he was immediately untied and evacuated from the premises.
The father, Mohammed Lawan, was subsequently apprehended and is currently being held in police custody.
The rescued man has since been taken to a medical facility for treatment and rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has directed the DPO to commence a preliminary probe into the matter.
He also ordered that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged prolonged confinement and inhumane treatment.
The command added that further developments would be communicated as investigations continue.