Stakeholders in criminal justice move for elimination of torture in Nigeria
Stakeholders in the justice system from Plateau and Kaduna state, Nigeria have called for the establishment and enforcement of decisive legal mechanisms to abolish the use of torture by officials within the system. This call was made at the end of a three day training session organised by Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France), for stakeholders in Plateau and Kaduna state with the support of the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria.
The purpose of the training which held from the 10th to the 12th in Plateau and 24th to the 26th of February 2014 in Kaduna was to build the capacity of participants on the principles and application of the United Nations Convention against Torture (UNCAT) and to garner support and action for its advancement in the Nigerian judicial system. The event was part of ASF France’s “Promoting the United Nations Convention against Torture in Nigeria” (ProCAT) project.
In attendance were participants from various arms of the justice system including the Police, Prisons, Ministry of Justice, the judiciary and legal associations like the National Human Rights Commission, Nigerian Bar Association , Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Law Reform Commission. Vigorous training was given on international, regional and domestic legal instruments, as well as practical excursions into various legal scenarios involving the use of torture to dehumanize detainees.
Expressing enthusiasm about the impact of the meeting, Honourable Abdullahi G.M, a magistrate, stated that:
“The ProCAT training session is excellent because it explicitly addresses the issue of torture. An enforcement mechanism should be put in place for successful judgements against torture under this project”
In the same vein, one of the participants from the Police expressed his determination to ensure that confessional statements were henceforth obtained without resorting to torture.
The ProCAT project is funded by the Canada Funds for Local Initiatives.