A Human Rights Organization in the State, Anpez Center for Environment and Development has organized a two day workshop on Torture Prevention and Right Awareness Campaign (TOPRAC).
The workshop was held at the Tokyu Grand Hotel, Tokyu Avenue, Off Liberation Stadium Road, Port Harcourt from 17th to 18th September 2013.
The theme of the workshop was: Understanding Torture and Ill- Treatment, attracted security Agencies such as, the Police, the Army, Civil Defense, TIMARIV, the State Security Service, community leaders, Civil Society Organizations and victims of torture.
Giving his overview at the event Bar. Everest Nwankwo who is equally the Managing Director stated that the campaign against torture stems from a personal experience even as a lawyer. Bar. Nwankwo said if lawyers can also be victims of torture as his own case then the common man will suffer more. The Managing Director of Anpez Center said that torture cuts-across all strata of the Nigerian society irrespective of the status of the person.
He cited the criminal law which states that anybody who commits offence is presume innocent until proven contrary by the law court, which is supported by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter. The Activist regretted that even the common man is happy to torture his fellow human being and asked how do we get people involved to end the menace. He noted that the perpetrators are not award of the evil they are doing.
“we need a law to criminalize torture and hoping that as we approach the state Assembly they will facilitate the law process” he stated.
In an interview with journalists shortly after the program, Nwankwo said that the workshop is to get more people involved in the activity, saying that there will be two more workshops which include training the trainer workshops and the second is the training session with materials. He said the group will also visit the Rivers State House of Assembly to push for a law that torture as a Criminal offence.
In their separate interviews Bar. Nathaniel Akpos and Bar. Gabriel Ibanichuka both of Anpez maintained that torture elimination is very important to their organization and called on all to join in the campaign. They told the press that the organization will embark on advocacy visit, not only to the Rivers state House of Assembly, but the National Assembly, too where they will talk with the legislators on the need to criminalize torture in Nigeria. Bar. Gabriel stated that they will also involve the security agencies who perpetrate of this crime while spreading their tentacles to the rural areas.
They said the Rivers House of Assembly will be in the right position to pass a law on the issue.
Highlight of the workshop was the presentation of papers titled “understanding torture and ill treatment in global and national context” by Bar. Okpousi, “the Roles and Effort of key institutions in managing torture in Nigeria” by Dr. Mrs. Rita Abbey of the Police Command and “Advocacy plan for managing torture and ill treatment” by Ken Okafor.
A victim of torture Solomon Omurusa who narrated his experience said victims of torture should not retaliate and take the law into their hands, but should follow the legal way. There was group work, questions and answer secession among others.
Pius Dukor
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