ANTI-TORTURE ACT: NHRC AND ADVOCACY GROUPS CAUTION POLICE OFFICERS TO STOP ABUSE OF CITIZENS

BY PRINCELY ONYENWE, IMO

NIGERIANS are charged to be aware of the ANTI- TORTURE ACT and OTHER LEGISLATION THAT PROHIBITS TORTURE to enable the vulnerable report to appropriate channels to seek redress.

However, the act reads that’s “Any person who contravenes Section-2 of the Anti-Torture Act commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to imprisonment for terms not exceeding 25years.

Torture resulting in loss of life of a person is considered as murder and shall be tried and punished under the RELEVANT laws” the facilitators hinted.

This is in the bid to strengthen the integrity and transparency of the interrogation process in the police detentions.

9News Nigeria reports that the Human rights Advocacy group, Access to Justice (A2J) in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Committee Against Torture (NCAT) has trained about 190 Police Officers on Anti-Torture and other LEGISLATION that prohibit torture.

The training was done at the Criminal Investigation and intelligence department (SCIID) Lagos state of NIGERIA and sponsored by the British Council and the European Union.

The facilitators however ADMONISHED the officers to abstain from any such act of torture such as SYSTEMATIC BEATING, PUNCHING, KICKING WITH RIFFLE BUTTS, ELECTRIC SHOCKS, CIGARETTE BURNING, RAPE OR SEXUAL ABUSE, SUBMERSION OF HEAD IN WATER, TANKS OR URINE AND MUTILATION.

Facilitators Damian Ugwu and Idris Bala disclosed that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of War or Threat to Eat, international political
instability or any other public emergency may be invoked as a justification for torture.

The groups finally hinted that any person or groups who have suffered such torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment may henceforth seek LEGAL ASSISTANCE in the proper handling and filling if the complaint from the Human Rights Commission.

Can these efforts by NGOs and NHRC improve the standard of human beings and respect for human rights in Nigeria?

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9News Nigeria (Owerri)
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