The United Nations Committee against Torture has urged the National Human Rights Commission NHRC, to investigate 27,858 complaints of torture in Nigeria.
Noting that the Commission has a mandate to visit places of deprivation of liberty, receive complaints, conduct investigations, award compensation and request for enforcement of its decisions.
The UN Committee commended the Commission for its active involvement in advisory, training, advocacy activities and participation in several investigative panels.
The Committee in its latest report on torture in Nigeria, noted the lack of information provided on the follow up to the complaints of torture and ill-treatment the Commission received between 2019 and 2020, compensations awarded and enforced, and cases communicated to the Attorney-General at Federal and State level for further prosecution.
On the Government’s counter-terrorism measures, the Committee appreciates the State party’s commitment to adopt measures to fight against impunity, with an increased focus on Boko Haram’s crimes, made during the universal periodic review in 2018.
