By Onyebuchi Sampson
To ensure detainees’ rights, the Federal Government has commenced an audit of the county’s detention facilities to ensure the facilities conform to human rights standards in line with international best practices.
The project tagged: Police Visitors Week (PSVW) is aimed at ensuring the rights of detainees.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Abuja, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) said the project was aimed at protecting rights of detainees.
He said the project was in line with the commission’s mandate to carry out a periodic audit of places of detention across the country toward ensuring that the practice in the detention facilities conforms to human rights standards.”
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Ojukwu stressed that monitors have been sent to one station per geographical zone, to carry out the audit in some police stations in those states.
He added that in carrying out the assignment, the trained visitors are tasked to collect and document information regarding the police stations, suspects and condition of the detention facility, among others.
According to Ojukwu, data gathered during the audit will be analysed and published as a report, which will be shared with all stakeholders.
“The aim is to enhance police accountability, identify good practice and document challenges that may exist, with a view to making action-oriented recommendations to the appropriate authorities, as well as carrying out advocacy for the improvement of detention facilities,” he said.
The project, which is part of a larger project on strengthening police reform in Nigeria, is supported by the MacArthur Foundation, CLEEN Foundation, Network For Police Reform (NOPRIN) and Rule of Law and accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC).
The Federal Capital Territory police commissioner, represented by an assistant commissioner in charge of life camp police, Nendel Gomwalk, promised to grant the NHRC unfettered access to its facilities during the period of the audit process.
