Nigerian NGOs call for inquiry into disappearances in south-east
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on ThisDay
Nigerian human rights organisations and civil society groups are calling for an independent inquiry into reported disappearances, torture and deaths in custody in the country’s south-east. At a press conference in Enugu, the Southeast Human Rights Bureau and its partners called, among other measures, for an audit of detention centres and the publication of registers of detainees.
Human rights organisations in Nigeria are calling for an independent commission to investigate disappearances, torture and deaths in custody in the country’s south-east. The Southeast Human Rights Bureau (SEHRB), together with several civil society organisations, made the demand at a press conference in Enugu, ThisDay reports.
The groups are calling, in particular, for an audit of detention centres, including Wawa Barracks, the facilities in Kuje and Suleja, and those run by the Department of State Services (DSS). They want arrest, transfer and detention registers published to establish the fate of people taken into state custody.
Their proposals also include forensic examinations at morgues in Imo State and the region, to preserve evidence and identify unidentified bodies. They call for legal safeguards for detainees, including prompt access to a lawyer and being brought before a court, as well as prosecutions of those responsible for proven abuses, whether state officials or non-state actors.
The organisations are also seeking compensation and medical and psychosocial support for victims and their families. They recommend a regional mechanism to trace missing people, bringing together families, legal practitioners and civil society, as well as civilian oversight of security operations.
