FG Moves To Eliminate Torture Detention Facilities
The Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, said this at a sensitization and advocacy workshop for law enforcement agencies and other key stakeholders on the United Nations Convention against torture, in Abuja.
She added that the sensitization forms part of measures targeted at eradicating the use of torture by public officials as the act in itself is cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Jedy-Agba further said that the law on preventing the use of torture will be expanded to include psychiatric hospitals, detention facilities, and others.
She said, “We are currently reviewing the Anti Torture Act and Regulations to expand the definition of torture and improve mechanisms to discourage and eliminate torture in places of detention, such as deprivation of liberty in Nigeria, such as police stations, prisons, and other detention facilities, psychiatric hospitals and any other places where persons are not permitted to leave at their own will.
“Psychiatric hospitals where relatives and family members are being taken care of, no matter what they are going through, they are still human and these institutions are to uphold human treatment at all times”.
Speaking particularly to law enforcement agents, she said “Torture is prohibited, unlawful and an offence. Security agents are not allowed to get information from a suspect using torture.”
Jedy-Agba noted that information from a suspect through torture is not admissible by law.
She explained that the definition of torture under the relevant legal frameworks pertains to acts committed by public officials, particularly law enforcement, which inflicts pain or suffering, whether mental or physical on individuals placed under their custody.
She said that it is not enough to punish perpetrators for committing acts of torture as the government on its part, has a responsibility to ensure restitution and rehabilitation of victims of torture.
Jedy-Agba encouraged participants to work as champions of the federal government’s policy against torture, avoid the use of torture against citizens and adopt anti-torture measures when they return to their respective institutions and organisations.
