The Federal Government expressed its strong commitment to eradicating torture in detention facilities where individuals are held against their will.
This announcement was made by Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, during a sensitization and advocacy workshop in Abuja on Wednesday May 29, 2024.
The event was organized for law enforcement agencies and other key stakeholders to discuss the United Nations Convention against Torture.
Mrs. Jedy-Agba emphasized that the workshop is part of broader efforts to eliminate the use of torture by public officials, labeling such acts as cruel, inhuman, and degrading. She highlighted that the current law against torture is being reviewed to extend its reach to various institutions, including psychiatric hospitals and other detention facilities.
“We are currently revising the Anti-Torture Act and its regulations to broaden the definition of torture and strengthen the mechanisms designed to prevent and eliminate torture in places of detention in Nigeria,” she stated. “This includes police stations, prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and any other locations where individuals are deprived of their liberty and are unable to leave of their own accord.”
Jedy-Agba specifically pointed out the importance of humane treatment in psychiatric hospitals, stressing that patients in these facilities, despite their conditions, are still entitled to human rights. “No matter what they are going through, they are still human beings, and these institutions must always uphold humane treatment,” she added.
Addressing law enforcement agents directly, she reiterated that torture is prohibited and unlawful, emphasizing that obtaining information through torture is not permissible. “Torture is prohibited, unlawful, and constitutes a criminal offense. Security agents are not permitted to extract information from suspects using torture,” she declared.
She also noted that any information obtained through torture is inadmissible in court. The legal framework defines torture as actions by public officials, particularly those in law enforcement, that inflict mental or physical pain or suffering on individuals in their custody.
Jedy-Agba further stressed that it is not sufficient to merely punish those who commit acts of torture. The government also has an obligation to ensure the restitution and rehabilitation of torture victims.
She urged the workshop participants to become advocates for the federal government’s anti-torture policies, to avoid using torture against citizens, and to implement anti-torture measures within their respective institutions and organizations.
She reminded the participants that Nigeria is a signatory to several international human rights treaties and conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations Convention against Torture. These agreements guarantee the human rights of all individuals, including those in detention.
“The prohibition of torture has been recognized as a fundamental international law standard, meaning it takes precedence over all other international treaties,” Jedy-Agba explained. “The federal government, therefore, prioritizes initiatives aimed at preventing torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.”
