FG Inaugurates National Committee against Torture
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (SGF), Abubakar Malami
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The federal government, in its determination to eliminate torture, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment in the country, has reconstituted and inaugurated the National Committee against Torture (NCAT).
The committee, which was inaugurated in Abuja by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), is expected to play a crucial role in stamping out torture and other related vices, and to secure justice for survivors and victims.
Malami pointed out that the provision of adequate funding to ease the work of the committee has become imperative since lack of funding was the bane of the previous committee.
He said that the committee has been given a broad mandate to deal with issues of torture in the country in accordance with the UN’s Convention Against Torture, and is at liberty to seek more areas to dwell if the need arises, considering the critical nature of this national assignment.
The AGF said that the committee is empowered to liaise with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in discharging its mandate, especially in the area of visits to correctional service facilities, to enable it to have first-hand information on the condition of inmates.
In her remarks, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Chairperson of the NCAT, Ms. Beatrice Jedy Agba, on behalf of other members of the NCAT commended Malami for reconstituting the committee.
Agba assured the AGF that the committee would be committed to implementing its terms of reference satisfactorily, particularly with respect to providing timely statutory reports as required under UNCAT and fight against the scourge with renewed vigour.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN), who doubles as the alternate Chair of the NCAT, recalled that visits to the correctional service facilities and other detention centres were one of the major challenges the previous committee faced, saying that leveraging on the powers of the NHRC to visit such facilities would be highly beneficial to the committee.
Ojukwu emphasised the need for the committee to collaborate with relevant MDAs, Nigerian Bar Associations and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to identify and escalate complaints of torture in a manner that would facilitate timely redress of reported cases.
The committee’s terms of reference are “to engage and liaise with Committee Against Torture (CAT) and regional human rights mechanisms in the context of country reporting, interactive dialogue or facilitation of visits by special procedure mandate holders or the subcommittees on the prevention of torture.
“To organise and facilitate the preparation of reports to CAT and regional human rights’ mechanisms, and responses to communication, follow up questions and recommendations or decisions received from such mechanisms.
“To coordinate data collection and information gathering from government agencies, National Assembly and the judiciary for the reporting and follow up.
“To foster and lead consultations for reporting and follow up with the NHRC and CSOs.
“To receive and consider communications on torture from individuals, CSOs and government institutions.
“To ensure education and information regarding the prohibition against torture are fully included in the training of law enforcement and public officers.
“To prepare quarterly briefings to the AGF on cases of torture and propose appropriate administrative/judicial intervention.
“Propose a review of anti-torture legislations and further develop a national anti-torture policy.”
The members of the reconstituted committee were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Justice, National Human Right Commission, Nigeria Police Force, Legal Aids Council, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Department of State Services, the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Bar association among others.
