As Nigerians joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2020 international day in support of victims of torture, the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has kicked against the use of torture in interrogating suspects by law enforcement agents.
This was made known by the executive secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu in a statement which he urged all the law enforcement officers and other categories of persons to desist from all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman treatment.
Ojukwu also said that the presidential panel on state anti-robberies squad chaired by the commission in 2018 revealed that torture was predominantly the means of collecting evidence from suspects.
He urged them to mainstream human rights in their operations, saying the administration of criminal justice act 2015, the anti-torture act 2017, and other legislation and international instruments to which Nigeria is a party are to help them in carrying out their lawful duties.
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Meanwhile, the commission commends the efforts of the federal government in signing the anti-torture act, gunshot victims’ act and violence against persons prohibition act as these will go a long way to check incidents of torture and other related issues in the country.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
