Ensure full and effective implementation of the Anti-Torture Act (2017), amending it to cover attempts to commit torture, and excluding torture from the scope of amnesties, pardons and a statute of limitations.
Enhance the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) in Nigeria, ensuring it operates independently, has sufficient resources, and possesses the necessary authority in line with the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) standards.
Implement the Police Act 2020 and ongoing reform recommendations, enforcing compliance by officers, especially regarding disciplinary measures and accountability. This should incorporate mandatory training on the provisions of the UN Convention against Torture, the absolute prohibition of torture, and anti-discrimination standards for all officers.
Strengthen the capacity of the Police Complaints and Response Unit (PCRU) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to independently monitor police conduct, address reports of brutality and enforce corrective actions.
Authorise the NPM and the NHRC to conduct regular, unannounced visits to detention centres, and publish findings with recommendations for improvement.
Improve detention conditions to meet minimum standards, including access to adequate healthcare, mental health support services, food and sanitation, especially in overcrowded correctional facilities.
Ensure that all cases of torture, related allegations, and resulting disciplinary actions or criminal proceedings are publicly reported to increase transparency and accountability.
Establish safe, confidential ways for victims and families to report abuse, and create a government-funded programme to guarantee fair and timely compensation for those affected.
Increase funding and support for rehabilitation programmes to assist torture survivors in their recovery, with access to medical, psychological, legal, and social services.
Support initiatives to promote active participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) in advocacy, training and monitoring, to strengthen public accountability mechanisms and raise awareness of human rights protections within communities, educating individuals on their rights and the legal protections available to them.
Access to information must be guaranteed in every society, both in law and practice, to ensure State transparency and accountability. It allows organisations, journalists, and interested individuals to request data on the actions of public bodies, protocols, and statistics on human rights violations. This right not only enhances public debate and civic participation in decision-making but also helps improve public policies and safeguards the dignity of individuals in State custody. Civil society organisations and human rights defenders play a key role in monitoring access to information laws and their implementation. This indicator reflects the challenges of accessing information within the country—the higher the score, the less transparent the State.
