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In commemoration of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Federal Government has warned security and law enforcement agencies against the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment against detainees in their custody. Unarguably, the government’s warning is in line with the standard practice and international protocols of protecting the victims of torture. Security agencies should treat suspects or detainees with dignity and accord them their rights before the law.
The Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, issued the warning during the occasion of the 2023 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The SGF, who is also the Chairperson of the National Committee Against Torture (NACT), enjoined stakeholders in the public and private sectors to speak with one voice against the perpetrators of torture, and for all who suffer in their hands. It is by speaking against torture that we can build a better, more humane society for all people everywhere.
The International Day in Support of Victims of torture is observed annually by member states of the United Nations on June 26 to speak out against the crime of torture and to honour and support victims and survivors throughout the world. The day is designated by the UN to highlight the abuse of power by government officials which manifests in abhorrent denial of human dignity and to recognise the bravery and humanity of victims and survivors of torture. The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into effect on June 26, 1987.
According to the convention, the term “torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity.”
Sadly, torture is a preferred strategy of interrogation by Nigerian security agencies and personnel to obtain information and extract confession from suspects and detainees. Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have reportedly thoroughly abused the use of torture in extracting evidence from crime suspects. Some of their victims have lost some parts of their bodies while in police custody. Many suspects have also died on account of police torture and brutality. Female suspects have been utterly abused and their womanhood violated by unscrupulous policemen. It is therefore not surprising that many police detention facilities have become slaughter labs where limbs are broken, men are tied and hung in a stake and subjected to inhuman treatment, including electrocution. Some of the confessions extracted from crime suspects under such coerced circumstances cannot be the truth.
The nationwide #EndSARS protests by youths in October 2021 occurred because of perceived highhandedness of the Nigeria police in handling detainees under investigation. The protests led to loss of many lives and destruction of property across the country. Torture is not limited to security agencies and government institutions. Cases of torture and cruel treatment of minors and dependents abound in many homes. Domestic servants and those on apprentice are often subjected to inhuman treatments by their masters. The young girls, among them, are mostly treated as sex slaves.
The use of torture by police and other security agencies is condemnable. It debases human dignity and often leads to death. Therefore, security agencies should desist from the cruel act. Local and International laws are agreed that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by competent court of law. Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention against torture. The 1999 Constitution (as amended), equally guarantees to every citizen, the rights to fair hearing. The use of torture is against the fundamental human rights of every citizen concerned. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has spoken against the practice and has called on stakeholders at all levels to ensure that degrading treatment or punishment meted out on citizens by security and law enforcement personnel are completely eradicated in the society.
We commend the NHRC for speaking out against the practice. However, the NHRC should do more in ensuring that human dignity is respected. Apart from advising the security agents on the need for moderation, NHRC should ensure inclusion of trainings and manuals on human rights in the operations of the law enforcement officials. The commission should equally embark on advocacy visits and conduct inspections in detention facilities across the country to ensure that their operations are in line with international human rights standards. Let the perpetrators of torture be brought to book.
