Stop Any Form Of Torture , Inhumane Treatment Against Suspects -Argungu

Stop Any Form Of Torture, Inhumane Treatment Against Suspects—Argungu

Says the primary purpose of any laws is to protect citizens from abuses by the government, including police misconduct

By Prince Benson Davies

A training program on international Human Rights-based policing and effective oversight of personnel of the Police Service Commission has commenced at the Parry Osayande Auditorium of the Police Service Commission in Abuja. The program is organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Speaking at the opening ceremony on “The Role of Police Service Commission in Oversight and Monitoring of the Nigeria Police Force Officials as Individuals and the Service as a Whole: Accountability and Transparency on the Condition of Stop, Search, Arrest, Police Custody, and Pre-trial Detention in Nigeria,” the Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, x-rayed human treatment of arrested suspects and declared that a suspect shall “be accorded human treatment, having regard to his right to the dignity of his person, and not be subjected to any form of torture, cruelty, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

DIG Argungu noted that a suspect shall not be arrested merely on a civil wrong or breach of contract and shall be brought before the court as prescribed by law or otherwise released conditionally or unconditionally.

He explained that a person shall not for any reason be arrested in place of a suspect, adding that the law prohibits the handcuffing or any other unnecessary restraint of an arrested person, except “there is reasonable apprehension of violence or an attempt to escape; the restrain is considered necessary for the safety of the suspect or defendant or by order of the court.”.

The PSC Chairman said that police officers worldwide generally have broad powers to carry out their functions and duties.

He noted that the Constitution as amended and other procedural laws, however, limit how far police can go in trying to enforce the law.

According to him, one of the primary purposes of these laws is to protect citizens from government abuses, including police misconduct.

The Chairman also today received three delegations, one from the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust, the Nigeria Youth Organisation led by Comrade Okorie C. Okorie, and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria led by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko.