The Osun Police Command said it has rescued 26 persons from what it described as ‘strange mental home’ in Iwo area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Olafimihan Adeoye, made the disclosure while briefing journalists on Sunday in Osogbo.

He said the victims were dehumanised under the guise of receiving treatment for mental illness, adding that four persons connected with the home had been arrested

The commissioner, who said that the 26 victims had been taken to hospital for medical attention, said that three of them had died.

“At about 16.00 hours on Thursday, we received information of the existence of a camp in Iwo, where some sick persons were being treated in a dehumanised manner.

“On receiving the information, we contacted the necessary agencies of government to join us to visit the place and arrested four persons who are currently undergoing interrogation.

“About 26 fellows were found in the camp and had been taken to the hospital for necessary medical care.

“We also discovered that two of them have passed on just yesterday; I have just been informed that when conveying them to the hospital, another one gave up the ghost.

“So, we now have three of them that are dead. But, we hope that further investigation will reveal some other things,” Mr. Adeoye said.

The police boss said the police would investigate the matter with a view of determining the culpability of those involved in setting up the camp.

“For now, the state government has taken up the responsibility to ensure that those rescued are effectively taken care of,’’ he said

The suspected owner of the camp, Kamardeen Akanmu, claimed the camp was a spiritual healing centre for mentally challenged persons.

Mr. Akanmu, who spoke in Yoruba language, said that some of the victims had died and buried in the camp with the consent of their families.

(NAN)