Nigeria OPCAT project
Aims and Objectives
The overall aim of the HRIC’s Nigeria OPCAT project was to strengthen the operation of the ‘National Preventive Mechanism’ (NPM) established by the government of Nigeria as a State party to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT). An initial project was funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2014-2016.
Nigeria ratified the OPCAT in July 2009 and although it established a ‘National Committee on Torture’ as a step towards fulfilling its obligations under the OPCAT, the mandate of this body differs in a number of ways from the requirements stipulated by the OPCAT and is not operating effectively in the country. Accordingly, the overall aim of the HRIC’s project was to provide policy, legal and technical advice to support national and international efforts to strengthen the functioning of the NPM and bring its mandate into conformity with the OPCAT.
The HRIC’s Nigeria OPCAT project had two main phases. The first phase commenced in 2014 and involved stakeholder consultations to detect gaps in the full and effective delivery of the NPM mandate and priority areas to overcome key deficiencies. From the first phase it was identified that there was a need to develop a legal framework for the NPM and to raise awareness of how to apply the mandate to prevent torture and other ill-treatment in practice.
The second phase of the project commenced in 2015 and had two main objectives:
- to develop a draft legal framework for the mandate of the NPM; and
- to provide training on the preventive mandate of NPMs.
During the course of the project an opportunity arose to provide input into a draft bill to implement the UNCAT and this became a priority. To this end the HRIC worked with a range of national and international stakeholders including members of the Nigerian National Committee on Torture, the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and in the UK, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, and REDRESS. In particular, on 26 February 2016 the HRIC and REDRESS organised a roundtable discussion in Nigeria. The purpose of the event was to bring together stakeholders to discuss the draft anti-torture Bill currently under review in the country and provide input into the development of the Bill.
Outputs
The project involved the production of a number of documents providing legal and policy advice including:
- A baseline study on the NPM structure and implementation of OPCAT in Nigeria
- Stakeholder workshop reports
- Legal and policy briefings on the anti-torture Bill and the NPM mandate
- Anti Torture Legislative Frameworks in Nigeria (PDF, 663kB)
Recent developments
In 2017 Nigeria passed an Anti-torture Act to domesticate its obligations under UNCAT. Subsequently, in 2018, as part of the HRIC’s ongoing work to support efforts to strengthen the legal and institutional framework to prevent torture in Nigeria, a series of meetings was organised between a member of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and key national State and civil society representatives in Abuja, Nigeria between 28 and 31 January 2018.
The HRIC continues to provide advice to national stakeholders on the implementation of the Anti-torture Act and OPCAT in Nigeria.
Project Team
Dr Debra Long (Bristol) (Principal Investigator)
Debra.Long@bristol.ac.uk
Professor Rachel Murray
HRIC Director
Rachel.Murray@bristol.ac.uk