A recent report by Amnesty International on a police unit in Owerri, Imo State capital, deserves attention. The unit is allegedly involved in rampant violations, including extrajudicial executions, torture, and extortion. Titled, ‘Tiger Base of Atrocities: Human Rights Violations by Nigeria Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Owerri’, the report details how “detainees are kept in filthy, windowless cells and subjected to regular beatings,” while “many are locked up for weeks or months, without charge. Others have been shot or forcibly disappeared.” According to the report, a unit established to tackle kidnapping and armed robbery has instead been unlawfully killing suspects, torturing detainees to coerce them into confessing to bogus crimes, and arresting people for the sole purpose of extracting lucrative bribes for their release.
We are surprised by the lack of response to the report. Torture is a violation of human rights, and the country must not be seen to be violating such rights. Section 34 (1) of the 1999 constitution states that: “Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, (a) no person shall be subjected to torture, or to inhuman or degrading treatment.” But notwithstanding the provision, not a few Nigerians have experienced one form of torture or another in the hands of the police. Therefore, rather than waste efforts on denial, authorities in Nigeria should focus energy on finding a solution by making sure that law enforcement agents do their job without necessarily resorting to torture.
