read the report - Amnesty International
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12<br />
NIGERIA<br />
‘WAITING FOR THE HANGMAN’<br />
understands <strong>the</strong> enormous challenges faced by law-enforcement agencies in a developing<br />
nation as our own…. [such as] <strong>the</strong> lack of an effective complaints mechanism; <strong>the</strong><br />
unsatisfactory state of detention facilities; <strong>the</strong> under-resourced and over-stretched criminal<br />
justice system; Shari’a Law and corporal punishment, etc.” 15<br />
In a meeting with <strong>Amnesty</strong> <strong>International</strong> in July 2008, senior representatives of <strong>the</strong> Nigeria<br />
Police Force assured delegates that human rights violations by <strong>the</strong> police had been<br />
addressed, saying: “We are not practising torture.” 16<br />
ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND DETENTION<br />
“Someone can end up on death row because he was wandering and could not pay <strong>the</strong> police.”<br />
Lawyer interviewed by <strong>Amnesty</strong> <strong>International</strong>, July 2008<br />
According to a lawyer and senior officer of <strong>the</strong> Legal Aid Council: “It is a standard<br />
practice that <strong>the</strong> police first arrest bystanders and suspects, and <strong>the</strong>n start investigating.” 17<br />
Many prisoners told <strong>Amnesty</strong> <strong>International</strong> and LEDAP that <strong>the</strong>y were arrested<br />
first, and only became suspects later, in <strong>the</strong> police station.<br />
© <strong>Amnesty</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
A poster highlighting a<br />
campaign against torture in<br />
Nigeria, produced by <strong>the</strong> Civil<br />
Liberties Organisation.<br />
At times, if <strong>the</strong> police are unable to find a suspect, <strong>the</strong>y arrest <strong>the</strong> wife or mo<strong>the</strong>r of<br />
<strong>the</strong> suspect in lieu. 18<br />
Some people were arrested when <strong>the</strong>y <strong>report</strong>ed to <strong>the</strong> police station because <strong>the</strong>y were a<br />
witness or friend of <strong>the</strong> suspect. Moses, a 61-year-old driver who used to work for local<br />
government in Katsina State, was arrested in<br />
1993 when he <strong>report</strong>ed to <strong>the</strong> police: “The<br />
DPO [Divisional Police Officer] wanted to see<br />
me…When I met him he said he is not looking<br />
for me. When I went back home, ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
police man told me that <strong>the</strong> DPO wanted to see<br />
me. I follow him, <strong>the</strong> DPO told me that I am<br />
suspect in <strong>the</strong> killing of <strong>the</strong> Chairman’s<br />
messenger and ano<strong>the</strong>r person. Later, <strong>the</strong><br />
police took me to <strong>the</strong> CID, later to court and<br />
court told me I should be hanged by <strong>the</strong> neck.”<br />
Moses said he was tortured by <strong>the</strong> police and<br />
confessed. In court he retracted his confession,<br />
saying it was made under duress. He called six<br />
witnesses who testified he had an alibi. In May<br />
1997, <strong>the</strong> court rejected <strong>the</strong> alibi, found him<br />
guilty of homicide and sentenced him to death.<br />
His death sentence was confirmed by a court<br />
of appeal in 2006. He has been on death row<br />
for 11 years. 19<br />
<strong>Amnesty</strong> <strong>International</strong> October 2008 Index: AFR 44/020/2008