How Nigerian Police, Military Torture And Kill Civilians
Torture has become a part of the police system in Nigeria and it is alarming how the authorities who are supposed to protect its citizens subject them to all kinds of torture.
A report published today, September 18, titled, “Welcome to hell fire: Torture and other ill-treatment in Nigeria” has detailed the how the police and the military in Nigeria routinely torture women, men, and children some as young as 12, using a wide range of methods such as beatings, shootings and rape, SaharaReporters reports.
The report which was compiled from hundreds of testimonies and evidence gathered over a period of 10 years by renowned international human rights organisation, Amnesty International also details how civilians are detained and tortured as a means to extort money or force a confession to solve cases which are under investigation.
[caption id="attachment_2542" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Footage showing graphic evidence of multiple war crimes being carried out in Nigeria
Photo credit: Amnesty International[/caption]
Some of the torture techniques include nail or tooth extractions, choking, electric shocks and sexual violence.”
It was revealed how most people who are detained are denied access to the outside world, including lawyers, families and courts.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Military Accused Of War Crimes
“Torture has become such an integral part of policing in Nigeria that many police stations have an informal ‘Officer in Charge of Torture’ or O/C Torture,” the report said.
Recounting her ordeal, a 24-year-old woman named Abosede said police abuse left her with a permanent injury.
She said: “A policewoman took me to a small room, told me to remove everything I was wearing. She spread my legs wide and fired tear gas into my vagina.
“I was asked to confess that I was an armed robber…I was bleeding…up till now I still feel pain in my womb.”
Amnesty International also reports that the Nigerian military is committing similar human rights violations, detaining thousands in their search for members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect.
Speaking about his experience, a 15-year-old boy from Yobe state identified as Mahmood, , who was arrested by soldiers with around 50 other people, mainly boys between 13 and 19 years old, said, he was detained for 3 weeks. In that 3-week period, the soldiers beat him repeatedly with their gun butts, batons and machetes, pouring melting plastic on his back, making him walk and roll over broken bottles, and forcing him to watch the extra-judicial execution of other detainees. He was eventually released in April 2013.
According to Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director, Netsanet Belay, torture is not a criminal offence in Nigeria, though it is prohibited in the constitution but the country has yet to pass legislation outlawing the violation.
Baley spoke of 12-year-old boy who was arrested, beaten, forced to clean vomit with his bare hands and alcohol was even poured on him.
“Torture happens on this scale partly because no one, including in the chain of command, is being held accountable. Nigeria needs a radical change of approach, to suspend all officers against whom there are credible allegations of torture, to thoroughly investigate those allegations and to ensure that suspected torturers are brought to justice.
“When internal investigations within the police or the military do take place, the findings are not made public and the recommendations rarely implemented. Of the hundreds of cases researched by Amnesty International, not one victim of torture or other ill-treatment was compensated or received other reparation from the Nigerian government,” he said.
He therefore called on the Nigerian government to act fast by passing a law which makes torture a criminal offence.
Baley said: “Our message to the Nigerian authorities today is clear, criminalize torture, end incommunicado detention and fully investigate allegations of abuse. That would mark an important first step towards ending this abhorrent practice. It’s high time the Nigerian authorities showed they can be taken seriously on this issue.”
About a month ago, Amnesty International had made public a gruesome footage that allegedly shows Nigerian soldiers slitting the throats of insurgents and dumping their bodies in a mass grave.
However, Nigerian Defence spokesman Major-General Chris Olukolade, said the scenes depicted in the video were alien to their operations and doctrines.
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A report published today, September 18, titled, “Welcome to hell fire: Torture and other ill-treatment in Nigeria” has detailed the how the police and the military in Nigeria routinely torture women, men, and children some as young as 12, using a wide range of methods such as beatings, shootings and rape, SaharaReporters reports.
The report which was compiled from hundreds of testimonies and evidence gathered over a period of 10 years by renowned international human rights organisation, Amnesty International also details how civilians are detained and tortured as a means to extort money or force a confession to solve cases which are under investigation.
[caption id="attachment_2542" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Footage showing graphic evidence of multiple war crimes being carried out in NigeriaPhoto credit: Amnesty International[/caption]
Some of the torture techniques include nail or tooth extractions, choking, electric shocks and sexual violence.”
It was revealed how most people who are detained are denied access to the outside world, including lawyers, families and courts.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Military Accused Of War Crimes
“Torture has become such an integral part of policing in Nigeria that many police stations have an informal ‘Officer in Charge of Torture’ or O/C Torture,” the report said.
Recounting her ordeal, a 24-year-old woman named Abosede said police abuse left her with a permanent injury.
She said: “A policewoman took me to a small room, told me to remove everything I was wearing. She spread my legs wide and fired tear gas into my vagina.
“I was asked to confess that I was an armed robber…I was bleeding…up till now I still feel pain in my womb.”
Amnesty International also reports that the Nigerian military is committing similar human rights violations, detaining thousands in their search for members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect.
Speaking about his experience, a 15-year-old boy from Yobe state identified as Mahmood, , who was arrested by soldiers with around 50 other people, mainly boys between 13 and 19 years old, said, he was detained for 3 weeks. In that 3-week period, the soldiers beat him repeatedly with their gun butts, batons and machetes, pouring melting plastic on his back, making him walk and roll over broken bottles, and forcing him to watch the extra-judicial execution of other detainees. He was eventually released in April 2013.
According to Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director, Netsanet Belay, torture is not a criminal offence in Nigeria, though it is prohibited in the constitution but the country has yet to pass legislation outlawing the violation.
Baley spoke of 12-year-old boy who was arrested, beaten, forced to clean vomit with his bare hands and alcohol was even poured on him.
“Torture happens on this scale partly because no one, including in the chain of command, is being held accountable. Nigeria needs a radical change of approach, to suspend all officers against whom there are credible allegations of torture, to thoroughly investigate those allegations and to ensure that suspected torturers are brought to justice.
“When internal investigations within the police or the military do take place, the findings are not made public and the recommendations rarely implemented. Of the hundreds of cases researched by Amnesty International, not one victim of torture or other ill-treatment was compensated or received other reparation from the Nigerian government,” he said.
He therefore called on the Nigerian government to act fast by passing a law which makes torture a criminal offence.
Baley said: “Our message to the Nigerian authorities today is clear, criminalize torture, end incommunicado detention and fully investigate allegations of abuse. That would mark an important first step towards ending this abhorrent practice. It’s high time the Nigerian authorities showed they can be taken seriously on this issue.”
About a month ago, Amnesty International had made public a gruesome footage that allegedly shows Nigerian soldiers slitting the throats of insurgents and dumping their bodies in a mass grave.
However, Nigerian Defence spokesman Major-General Chris Olukolade, said the scenes depicted in the video were alien to their operations and doctrines.
Follow us on Twitter!@gossip9ja
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