Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on Federal Government to report on nation’s status on torture to the United Nations (UN) committee on convention against torture to avoid being reviewed in absentia, 20-year after ratification.The Executive Director of PRAWA Dr Uju Agomoh addressing newsmen, said that every person who appreciates human rights will understand that torture, inhuman and degrading treatment should be stopped in any nation.
“We cannot operate in a nation where many people The groups, CLEEN Foundation and Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) jointly made the appeal at a training programme for journalists held in Abuja.
Speaking at the workshop in Abuja Monday, the acting Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Ruth Olofin said that though the country has made progress in the aspect of legislation 20 years down the line, there are still pockets of torture going on hence the need for implementation.
She further called on government to send its own report in order to paint a good picture of the country. She said, “It is important that Nigeria fulfils her obligation to the UN, we cannot afford to go to the international community and just ratify this document and afterwards we don’t fulfill our own obligations in terms of reporting the progress.
“There has been some progress at the level of legislation so we have passed the anti-torture act of 2017 to address this issue but in terms of implementation; stopping torture by our various security and law enforcement and other private individuals, it has been a challenge.
She said that that the NHRC and all other agencies have to be empowered properly adding that Committee against torture should be empowered to be able to visit places of detention.
