From Josephine Lohor in Abuja and Godwin Haruna in Lagos, 07.28.2005

But the Presidency also yesterday dismissed the report and said it has no iota of truth.

Presenting the 76-page report titled "Rest in Pieces" in Lagos, Ms. Sonya Maldar stated that in the course of her research for the report across seven states of the federation, she found out that police freely employ torture tactics on detainees as a means of extracting confessional statements from them.
Maldar compiled graphic accounts of detainees who were given the crude treatment.

She said despite Nigeria’s progress on democratic reforms, Nigerian police routinely commit brutal acts of torture that have endured since the country’s era of military rule.

"For too long, the police in Nigeria have gotten away with murder and brutality. If President Olusegun Obasanjo wants to show the world that he is serious about pursuing justice, he should ensure that police torturers are held accountable for their crimes", said Peter Takiram-budde, executive director of the Africa Division of the organisation.

He said across Nigeria, both senior and lower-level police officers routinely commit or order the torture and maltreatment of criminal suspects.

Human Rights Watch urged foreign governments funding police reform in Nigeria to be more critical about rights abuses, such as torture.

"Most victims were arrested within the context of an aggressive government campaign against common crime and were tortured to obtain confessions. They were tortured in local and state police stations across Nigeria, often in interrogation rooms especially equipped for the purpose", the report alleged.
Forms of torture documented by Human Rights Watch include the tying of arms and legs behind the body, suspension by hands and legs from the ceiling, severe beatings with metal or wooden objects, spraying of tear gas in the eyes, shooting in the foot or leg, raping female detainees, and using pliers or electric shocks on the penis.

In addition, witnesses reported that dozens of suspects died as a result of injuries sustained during the torture sessions and others were summarily executed in police custody.

In his comment, Mr. Lance Lattig, an offical of the rights organisation from New York, United States, said although Nigerian contigents to peace keeping operations has performed creditably well abroad, their performace at home leaves much to be desired.

But Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Frank Nweke, jnr, while reacting to the report on behalf of the administration, said contrary to the report of the Human Rights Watch the Federal Government wanted “to say without fear of contradiction that torture is not routinely practiced in Nigeria”.

The Presidency also noted that the report of the Human Rights Watch had not given detailed accounts of the persons who are alleging that they have been brutalised by the Nigeria Police.

He added that “President Olusegun Obasanjo has demonstrated times without number that he is committed to the enthronement of rights and respect for the rule of law.

“It is known that the practice in Nigeria is that reported cases of abuse or abuses by any law enforcement agent or agencies is fully investigated and culprits brought to book”, he added.

Nweke, while speaking with State House Correspondents, said “it is important to state that President Olusegun Obasanjo is very mush aware of the problems within the criminal justice administration in the country including the Police Force.

“Not only has the Federal Government included police reforms in the on-going internationally-acclaimed reform agenda but the entire administration of justice is also undergoing far-reaching reforms. Human Rights Watch ought to realise that for a country that had undergone military distatorship for so long the task of repositioning an institution like the police is not only daunting but must be done thoroughly”, he added.

The Information Minister also stated that “not only has the number of police officers been doubled since 1999, but the administration has also invested very heavily in training, equipment, monitoring and the introduction of police community relations”.

While emphasising that the reforms embarked by the Federal Government included that of the Nigeria Police, Nweke said “part of the reforms include community policing which is already being piloted in Enugu State. The Government has through its many institutions continued to empower the populace to know and insist on their rights and expects them to also support the on-going efforts”.