Nigerians have been urged to rise against torture of crime suspects by the state officers at all levels through the prosecution of torturers irrespective of whether the accused victims of torture are guilty or not.
Nigeria Representative of Lawyers Without Borders France, Akinola Oladapo made the call in Kaduna during the 1st Awareness session on the United Nation’s Convention Against Torture Principles, organized by Avocat Sans Frotieres France (Lawyers Without Borders France).
Oladapo stated that, suspect of whatever degree of crime is not supposed to be tortured or subjected to any form of inhuman treatment in the process of crime investigation by any state officer.
He argued that the police and other state officers have to desist totally from the habit of torturing crime suspected with a view to getting confession statement from the accused, adding that such was out rightly prohibited by the law.
According to him, “the best and the lawful way of prosecuting a crime suspect is to rely strictly on investigation, tender it before the suspect to defend himself, and if he gives or decline comment, he or she should be charged to court to be pronounced guilty or not”.
While reiterating that getting confession from suspect by the police or any other state officer was not a compulsory prerequisite for trial before a court of law, Oladapo noted that Nigerian Judges have given room for the security agents to think torture was necessary obtaining information from suspects by relying statements gotten by the security agents.
He however maintained that, it was a collective responsibility of the people to stop torture by filling suits against any security agent or agency that subjects crime suspects to torture, adding that, Lawyers Without Borders France in partnership with Legal Aid Council and Nigerian Bar Association was out and ever ready to assist victims of torture in protecting their human right.
Oladopo assured the participants of the awareness programme drawn from the media and community leaders as well as members of the society that the security agents have been properly enlightened about their roles and limit in prosecution of suspects.
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