Nigeria

On Saturday 11 October we shall be manning a stall in Salisbury market to highlight the human rights situation in #Nigeria.  In particular, the case of Moses Akatugba who was tortured by Nigerian police to secure a conviction.  He was 16 when arrested, shot in the hand, beaten, and hung in an interrogation room for hours.  Pliers were used to extract his finger and toe nails.  His alleged crime was to steal three mobile phones.  Unfortunately, this ill-treatment is now a commonplace in Nigeria and there are reported to be ‘torture officers’ in police stations.

Executions were resumed in June last year when four men were executed in Benin city.  The bodies were not returned to the families for burial nor is the location of the graves known.

Amnesty has serious concerns about the increasing use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment in Nigeria.  Recent research by Amnesty indicates that police and military personnel routinely use torture and other ill-treatment to extract confessions and to punish and exhaust detainees.

Nigeria fact sheet (pdf)

You can also read about corruption in Nigeria here: Human Rights Watch: Nigeria

We look forward to seeing you in the market place on 11th.