NHRC Tasks law Enforcement Agencies On Modern Investigation Procedures
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2017 International Day in support of victims of torture, the National Human Rights Commission is calling on the security agencies to eschew all forms of torture and degrading treatments in their operations and embrace modern techniques of investigation.
The Commission equally expresses concern over private citizens’ involvement in this ugly practice; describing it as deeply disturbing.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah who made this call in Abuja at the eve of the 2017 International Day in support of victims of torture observed every year on June 26, used the opportunity to call on the law enforcement agencies to always ensure that those who indulge in any act of torture are duly punished in accordance with the law.
She said that there is no justification for torture under any circumstances as torture is a crime under the international law and as such there should not be any impediments in punishing culprits more so Nigeria is signatory to regional and international treaties prohibiting torture and other cruel and degrading treatments.
The Acting Head of the Commission disclosed that in a bid to address the issue of torture and other human rights violations, the Commission in line with its mandate has continually organized training for law enforcement officers on the need to mainstream human rights principles in their operations which she noted has yielded positive results.
In addition to this, Mrs. Ovrawah stated that recommendations in the Commission’s prisons audit and other interventions have brought some sanity in the process of arrest, investigation, detention and prosecution of crime suspects in the country and that the Commission is not resting on its oars to ensure that the fundamental rights of suspects and convicts in prison are protected.
Mebrim Uchechukwu
Principal Public Affairs Officer, NHRC
