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Tag: torture

  • Fed Govt steps up efforts to end torture by law enforcement agents

    Fed Govt steps up efforts to end torture by law enforcement agents

    • Review of Anti-Torture Act and Regulations begins

    The Federal Government has intensified efforts to eliminate, among the nation’s security agents, the use of torture and related inhuman treatments as means of interrogation.

    The government said it had begun a review of the Anti-Torture Act and Regulations to expand the definition of torture and improve mechanisms to discourage and eradicate torture in detention facilities.

    The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, announced this yesterday in Abuja.

    Mrs. Jedy-Agba spoke at a sensitisation/workshop where the participants highlighted the responsibilities conferred on the Federal Government, particularly its law enforcement agencies and other public officials, to prevent torture in the country.

    She said: “We are currently reviewing the Anti-Torture Act and Regulations to expand the definition of torture and improve mechanisms to discourage and eradicate torture in places of detention, such as deprivation of liberty in Nigeria, such as police stations, prisons and other detention facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and any other places where persons are not permitted to leave at their own will.

    “However, in our experience, it is not enough to punish perpetrators for committing acts of torture. The government also has the responsibility to ensure restitution and rehabilitation of victims of torture.”

    Mrs. Jedy-Agba said the workshop was organised to pursue the Federal Government’s policy directive on improvement of justice delivery in Nigeria.

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    She added: “This sensitisation event was initiated in fulfilment of the mandate of the Committee and the Federal Ministry of Justice, as part of measures to eradicate the use of torture by public officials, particularly law enforcement.

    “The session also focuses on strategic interaction between stakeholders to address concerns and challenges associated with implementing anti-torture measures in compliance with international obligations.

    “You may also wish to note that the prohibition of torture has since been elevated to the international law standard of jus cogens.

    “This means that the international community recognises the prohibition of torture in all ramifications as so fundamental that it supersedes all international treaties.

    “The Federal Government, therefore, prioritises initiatives aimed at preventing torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.”

    The workshop drew participants from law enforcement agencies, ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies (MDAs), among other relevant stakeholders.

  • Killings and torture in Bakassi

    Sir: On March 29, 1994, when Cameroun laid claim to the Bakassi Peninsula, Nigeria’s Head of State, General Sani Abacha quickly stationed troops of the Nigerian Army there. He later granted Bakassi a Local Government status.

    Abacha rightly protected Bakassi as a Nigerian territory until his death on June 8, 1998.

    We later had a president (Chief Olusegun Obasanjo) who ceded Bakassi to Cameroun because he reportedly wanted to be the first Nigerian leader to win the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Such inanity!

    President Goodluck Jonathan (as he then was) officially handed over the peninsula to Cameroun in 2012 in compliance with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgement.

    Historically, Bakassi was always a Nigerian territory. Nigeria as a sovereign nation shouldn’t have rushed to bow to the controversial judgement. Countries around the world have flouted ICJ judgements, and heavens did not fall. The option of appealing or flouting that contentious judgement was never explored by the Nigerian government!

    Today, Bakassi people are treated as inferior citizens in a strange land called Cameroun. They are killed and tortured with reckless abandon. It is glaring that the Cameroonian government led by veteran dictator, Mr. Paul Biya, lusts for Bakassi’s huge reserve of crude oil; Bakassi people are still seen as Nigerians who must be wiped away from the face of the earth.

    The Cameroonian forces sometimes encroach Nigerian territories and wreak havoc on lives and properties. Must the Camerounian forces and militants invade Abuja before the Nigerian government act?

    It is late, but still possible for the Nigerian government to revisit the Bakassi issue. In the meantime, Bakassi people should leave the area in droves and settle in Nigerian territories. They are considered irrelevant in Cameroun. Biya’s country needs Bakassi’s oil, not Bakassi people.

    Abacha’s corruption and human rights record is poor, but during his regime, Nigeria attained unprecedented economic achievements. Nigeria’s territorial safety was uncompromised. His investment in sports earned Nigeria laurels in international tournaments. No administration has been able to surpass the record. Abacha was neither a saint nor villain.

    At least, he did not donate Bakassi to Cameroun for a Nobel Peace Prize that will never come!

     

    • Ofonime Honesty, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

  • Court rejects Evans’ claim of torture by Police

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court yesterday told billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, that there was no proof to back his claim of torture by the police.

    The trial judge stated this while ruling in the trial-within-trial conducted on the admissibility of the confessional statement of Evans.

    Justice Oshodi, therefore, admitted in evidence the confessional statement of Evans made to the police  June 11, 2017 after his arrest.

    While admitting the statement, Justice Oshodi emphasized that the 1999 Constitution did not require that statements to the police must be in a specific form.

    He also stated that the video recording containing the confessions of Evans also reflected no proof that Evans was tortured while disclosing details of all his kidnapping activities.

    “In the video, the first defendant asked the investigating police officer to write his statement on his behalf. The first defendant sat on a sofa and after the recording of the statement, the first defendant signed. In the video, the court cannot see any coercion directed at the first defendant.

    “When the witness for the prosecution was cross-examined, he categorically stated that the first defendant was not tortured when his statement was taken,” Justice Oshodi said.

    Justice Oshodi said Evans has not provided any evidence to court to back the allegations of extra- judicial killings he made against the police nor did he provide evidence to indicate any inducement, threat or promise in the trial-within-trial.

    “The court is not unmindful that the first defendant said he was slapped; cigarettes extinguished on his hands and saw people being murdered by the police”, he noted.

    The judge dismissed allegations made by Evans that the police murdered some people.

    He also noted that Evans showed no proof of treatment  for the cigarette burn he claimed to have been inflicted on him by the police.

    “The first defendant did not give any evidence as to the treatment of the injuries he sustained. The first defendant did not contradict any part of the video played. There is no proof that the statement was made involuntarily, the statement is admitted and marked Exhibit B,” he said.

    After the court’s ruling, the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms Titilaya Shitta-Bey, requested for an adjournment due to the absence the fourth prosecution witness, Insp. Idowu Haruna, who she said was injured in an accident and is yet to recover.

    Defence counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, did not object to the request for an adjournment.

    Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until February 22 for continuation of the evidence of Haruna and trial.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    They were arraigned on August 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnap of the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Limited, Donatus Dunu, from whose family they allegedly collected 223,000 Euro (N100m) as ransom.

    Evans and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

  • Buhari warns Police against torture, extra-judicial killings

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday warned the police to desist from acts that could pit them against the society.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu,  said unprofessional conducts such as illegal detentions, extrajudicial killings, torture and violation of fundamental human rights were unacceptable and must be avoided by the Nigeria Police Force at all times.

    He gave the directive in his address at the convocation and passing out parade of the First Regular Cadet Course at the Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.

    “We must abide by the constitutional code of conduct in policing our people.

    “The Police in its efforts to fight crime must work in partnership with the community. You cannot properly police the people without their consent,” he told the 602 graduating officers.

    President Buhari also used the occasion to remind the police officers to shun corruption and resist all temptations that impede the integrity and professionalism of the Force.

    He said: “It is appropriate to warn you as Police Officers not to see yourselves as being above the Law.  You must be above board and resist all temptations. Be contented with your salaries and allowances.

    “The government recently increased your general emoluments to make you more efficient and effective in the discharge of your duties. With this increase in your salaries, you have less reason to fall into temptations of financial or other inducements.

    “Let me again reiterate that this administration has zero tolerance for corruption. Corruption is the major reason why the Nigerian economy has not developed at the rate of other comparable countries.

    “If we must develop and reap the fruits of our democratic dispensation we must shun corruption at all levels. It is, therefore, your responsibilities and other anti-corruption agencies to kill corruption before Corruption overtakes Nigeria.”

    Commending the police for the successes it has recorded in the fight against various aspects of crime in the country, the President acknowledged that they had worked closely with the military in the fight against Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    He said: “I am aware that you have just deployed over 2000 Police Officers including Special Forces to the North East to support the efforts of the military.

    “The success recorded in the fight against Boko Haram in the Northeast cannot be related without mentioning the support you are giving to the military. The group is no longer occupying any Nigerian territory as it used to before the advent of this administration.

    “The recent attacks by the Boko Haram group can be likened to attempts of defeated insurgents to re-organise its ragtag and scattered individuals. This, however, will not be possible as adequate strategic plans have been put in place in conjunction with our neighbouring countries to completely wipe out the group.”

    On next year’s elections, President Buhari reiterated that it is the duty of the police, supported by other security agencies to adequately secure the elections.

    He said: “You must do everything possible to make the election violence free to avoid ballot box snatching, multiple voting, vote buying on sites, attack on electoral officers and other acts which might negatively impact on the elections and their outcome.”

    At the event were Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) as well as Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and other senior police officers.

  • Court awards N8.6m damages against police for illegal detention, torture

    A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State has exonerated an alleged car snatcher, Revd Bright Igwe and further awarded the sum of eight million, six hundred thousand naira in his favour against the police as damages and compensation for violation of his fundamental rights.

    Igwe was alleged to have snatched a Toyota 4 Runner Jeep allegedly owned by Dennet Archibong.

    In a suit No FHC/A1/CS/37/2017, Igwe and Sunday Oddi (1st and 2nd Applicants) sued Archibong (first Respondent); Inspector Anayo from SARS, Abakaliki (second Respondent); the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi state (third Respondent); Inspector Michael Bassey, Zone 6, Calabar (fourth Respondent);

    Others joined in the suit are the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar (fifth Respondent); and the Inspector General of Police (sixth Respondent).

    The applicants were seeking the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights allegedly violated by the Respondents.

    Oddi was said to have stood in for Igwe on administrative bail on October 21, 2016 at the Area Command, Abakaliki over a dispute between the Igwe and one Ejike Obi regarding money Igwe borrowed from him (Obi) to buy a Toyota 4 Runner jeep.

    Archibong lodged a complaint to the police against Igwe on December 2, 2016 over the said vehicle. The police were said to have arrested Oddi on April 27, 2017 and was allegedly detained, tortured, humiliated by 2nd and 3rd Respondents for two days before he was released.

    Igwe’s Counsel C.R.O. Agha emphasised that when the police arrested and detained her client, there was a pending fundamental right suit involving the same Toyota 4 Runner jeep in which the police was a party and while the matter was still pending, the police was ordered not to arrest Igwe in relation to the said car pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    She noted that there was no evidence that the vehicle alleged to have been snatched from Archibong was the same with that of the applicant.

    Justine Akintayo Aluko ruled that the harassment, embarrassment, intimidation, arrest and detention of the first and second Applicants made by the second-sixth Respondents upon the instigation of the first Respondent was oppressive, unconstitutional and constitute a gross violation of the first Applicant’s fundamental rights as enshrined in sections 34(1), 35(1), and 41(1) of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

    Aluko said: “the sum of N5 million only is hereby awarded in favour of the first Applicant against the second-sixth Respondents as damages and compensation for violation of his fundamental rights”.

    “The sum of N1 million only is hereby awarded in favour of the first Applicant against the first Respondent as damages and compensation for instigating the police to violate the fundamental rights of the first Applicant.

    “The sum of N2 million only is hereby awarded in favour of the second Applicant against the second-third Respondents as damages and compensation for violation of his fundamental rights”.

    “The sum of N500, 000 only is hereby awarded in favour of the second Applicant against the first Respondent as damages and compensation for instigating the police to violate the fundamental rights of the second Applicant. The cost of this action, assessed in the sum of N100, 000 only is hereby awarded in favour of the Applicants against the Respondents”.

    “The Respondents are hereby ordered to tender written public apology to the Applicants for the unlawful and baseless violation of their fundamental rights”.

    The Judge also restrained the Respondents jointly and severally by themselves or agents from further threat, arrest and detention of the Applicants without any reasonable suspicion of any offence committed by the Applicants.

  • Ejigbo torture: Suspect slumps in court

    •Trial begins March 20

    Trial of 10 persons alleged to have tortured three women at Ejigbo, Lagos two years ago was stalled yesterday when one of them slumped in court.

    Ahmed Adisa slumped and was rushed to the hospital about an hour before  their case

    Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye subsequently fixed the case for March 20.

    Other defendants are Isiaka Waidi, Saheed Adisa, Lateef Tijani, Oloruntoyin Dauda, Adekunle Adenuga, Azeez Akinosun, Jimoh Busari, Buhari Yusuf, and Abdullahi Harun.

    They were charged to court by the Lagos State government for their involvement in the torture and molestation of the women.

    They are accused of conspiracy, attempted murder, sexual assault, malicious administering of poison, obtaining money by false pretences and deprivation of liberty.

    When the case was called, a defence counsel, D.I Chukwuma, told the court that Adisa, the fourth defendant, slumped and has been taken to the hospital.

    “My Lord, the fourth defendant slumped about an hour ago and has been taken to general hospital.”

    Earlier, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs Idowu Alakija told the court that the defence counsel had been served with the processes as directed by Justice Ipaye at the last sitting.

    But Chukwuma and another defence counsel, Kayode Adewuyi protested that Tijani, Dauda, Adenuga and Harun, were charged with same offence for which they are standing trial at the Magistrate’s court.

    They argued that it would be an abuse of process if they are arraigned again for the same charges at the high court.

    “The defendants are already facing similar charges before a competent court of law, at the Magistrate’s court. The next sitting in the matter is coming up on March 18. It will be an abuse of court if the same matter is brought before another court,” he said.

    But Mrs Alakija said she was not aware of the proceeding in the Magistrate’s court having withdrawn the charges.

    “We don’t have any proof of what he said. I don’t want to presume that it is the charge I withdrew from the magistrate’s court which our Legal advice ceased. So, I really don’t know what he is talking about”.

    Justice Ipaye adjourned the matter till March 20, for prosecution to withdraw the other matter in the Magistrate’s court properly.

    According to the charge, the defendants were alleged to have taken part in a trial by ordeal of their victims, Nike Salami, Ajoke Agomo and Juliana Agomo, causing them grievous harm.

    They were said to have detained their victims against their will.

    The charge said the defendants beat up their victims, stripped them  naked and rubbed pepper on their bodies. They also allegedly supervised the insertion of sticks and noxious substances into  their private parts on the purported claim that the women stole pepper.

    The prosecution alledged that the defendants attempted to kill their victims.

    They were said to have obtained N50, 000 from one Fima Agomo, a relative of the victims, for the supposed payment of traders whose pepper were purportedly stolen.

    The offences are contrary to and punishable under Sections 44, 171,  127(1), 128(b),  241, 243, 270, 228(2), 259, 312(1)(a), 405 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

     

  • Law to criminalise torture coming

    With a sustained commitment on the part of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Presidency, perpetrators of torture and related degrading and inhuman treatment will soon be made to stand trial in addition to civil remedies already provided for victims under the laws.

    The Nigerian Law Reform Commission (NLRC), a body headed by former Governor of Edo State and Professor of Law, Senator Oserheimen Osunbor, has proposed a Bill for a law to criminalise torture and related inhuman acts.

    Last week in Abuja, the NLRC subjected the “draft Bill on prevention and prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and other related matters,” to the scrutiny of Law experts and representatives of rights advocacy groups and others at a two-day national workshop which held between November 3 and 4.

    The workshop, which was also intended to seek ways of ensuring the reform of the powers of the Police to arrest, search and detain, was held NLRC under the “support to justice sector in Nigeria project being executed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with funding from the European Union (EU).

    Participants, who made series of  contributions on how to improve on the proposed Bill, were unanimous on the fact that the nation cannot delay any longer in enacting law that criminalises torture and related practices as investigative tools by security agencies and others in the country.

    The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN), Prof Osunbor, Prof Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN) and former Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, Ade Omofade, said this in Abuja.

    They observed that while the nation’s Constitution and laws frown at the torture and view it as degrading and inhuman treatment, it is not criminalised, therefore making it impossible for perpetrators to be prosecuted.

    They argued that in view of the global condemnation of the continued application torture as investigative tool by security agencies in the country, the civil remedies provided for in the nation’s statute books were no longer adequate.

    Adoke, who was represented by an aide, Oteh Pius Imoistikeme, argued that the prohibition of torture and related practices by the Constitution was insufficient. He said the civil remedies provided under the nation’s legal system, will be better aided by the enactment of law that criminalises torture.

    He advised participants at the workshop to examine issues relating to “what to do with evidence procured through torture, investigating acts of torture, protection of witnesses and persons reporting acts of torture,” and their possible inclusion in the actual Bill.

    Osunbor, who is the Chairman of the NLRC, explained that the workshop is meant to produce “a proposal for a law on prevention and prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and other related matters in Nigeria.”

    He noted that the enactment of a law on torture will enable the country’s government fulfil its international obligations including compliance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture.

    Osunbor said the project, which was conceived by his commission about a year ago was not influenced by the recent damning report by the Amnesty International, detailing cases of torture by security agencies in the country.

    Omofade, who is the Project Coordinator, UNODC, Nigeria’s Justice Sector Reform, said the inadequacies contained in existing provisions informed the need for a law to prohibit torture and related practices.

  • Torture by re-validation

    The virulent witch destined to perdition would give birth to even more female children. This nifty speak of our fathers captures the state of the ruling PDP today. We thought they reveled only in kakistocratic tendencies but they have revealed that they also love a dash of recidivism in their repast. We may then safely conclude that the fellows at the Peoples Democratic Party have elected to hurtle down the road of no return willy-nilly. The recent drafting of the old war horse, Alhaji Umaru Dikko into the party’s ceaseless affrays is a pointer. He has been appointed chairman of the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) of the PDP.

    What will these people do next, you must be pondering? The PDP hierarchy seems to derive an especial pleasure in teasing and taunting Nigerians as they huff and puff through what has become a most onerous task of managing even there own affairs. And we ask: if you can’t run your party, how can you deign to be governing a country? The other day, it was a certain school drop out, certificate and age forger, Salisu Buhari who was exhumed from his well-deserved state of obscurity and hoisted on the governing council of one of the country’s better regarded tertiary institutions, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Why would any group of people inflict such injury on itself? If you thought self-annihilation does not manifest in cruder form, wait for this.

    Alhaji Umaru Dikko was the face of Nigeria’s Second Republic’s ruling house, the National Party of Nigeria, (NPN) and that face was shaped like the medusa. Dikko was the champion, the kingpin and fixer of that atavistic era. He was the steel hand in the gloves, the repugnant enforcer and the bogeyman in a Republic manned by a supine and flagellating president. Though he was merely a minister (of Transport), he happened to be a power wonk who noticed a large vent in the nation’s power equation and simply occupied it. Dikko soon became the soul and spirit of the bumbling NPN (not unlike today’s PDP) and he was more regarded and feared more than the president, Shehu Shagari, a modest and self-effacing gentleman. Such was the story that at the peak of his power, both the party, NPN and even the country was virtually run through the orbit (or office if you like,) of Alhaji Umaru Dikko.

    Because he controlled the thought, the purse and much of the contracts of that shambolic era, he was not the most loved man in the land. When the military finally moved in to help themselves and also to relieve NPN (and Nigeria) of their misery, Dikko was their prime target. But in the way of cowards, which he turned out to be, he escaped to Britain to bask in the cusps of a free, egalitarian and ordered society which he was too dim to engender in his homeland. Just as bullies are the worst cowards, despoilers are innately vagabonds. The military regime under General Mohammadu Buhari would not let him go scot free, he was required to come clear the heap of crap he left in his homeland, he would be crated like toxic cargo for export to the 3rd World but was saved at the port of exit by eagle-eyed British Customs officers. What inglorious history Dikko would have earned had Buhari pulled off that patriotically gung-ho expedition.

    It was not to be. The humgruffin got away lucky, he never answered; he never gave account of the blight he brought upon our generation. He was soon to be pardoned; he sneaked back into the country and has known better to stay quiet and silent for quite a while now. It is not even known if he carries the card of any party. Now this: the PDP has dredged up this relic of our sad past to head its disciplinary body! Is there a more sadistic way to scrape an old wound and to visit pain on a people; is there a worse punishment to a people’s battered psyche than to inflict torture by revalidation?

  • The torture called driver’s licence renewal

    I don’t discriminate when it comes to good music. But if I ever prefer a genre, it would be reggae, particularly the roots rocks type for which the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh and Eric Donaldson are reputed. I love these reggae artistes not just for the rhythm of their music, but also for their thought-provoking messages. These were also the qualities that endeared me to Johnny Nash’s songs, particularly the one that says “if I follow my mind, I will never do wrong.”

    The message of Nash’s song hit me hard on May 10. That was the day I fell into the trap of vehicle inspection officers (VIOs) at the Abule Egba section of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. There, I was arrested by the men in black and white over my driver’s licence which had expired by about one month.

    Ironically, about one week to the expiry date on the licence, I had made an attempt to renew it at the Ojodu, Lagos office of the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) co-habited by the VIO, but I was turned back at the gates by a road safety official who insisted that there was no more parking space in the expansive compound. My plea that the road safety official should allow me to park somewhere beside the gates was like a sword driven into his heart. He flared up and hauled abuses at me, unmindful of the fact that I would be his very senior boss, if I had chosen a career in the commission. Perturbed, embarrassed and humiliated, I was left with no choice but to turn and drive away, particularly because my stay at the spot was already causing a traffic chaos.

    I had left in the hope that I would return the following week to process the renewal. Unfortunately, I was attacked in broad daylight by gunmen who did not only rob me of money, phones and other valuables, but also went away with the key to the car. Scared by the ugly experience, I abandoned the car and shut my mind to driving. As fate would have it, it was the very day I decided to drive again that VIO officials accosted me and impounded my car.

    I had underestimated the trouble I had fallen into when an official of the VIO waved me down and demanded for my papers. Of course, the vehicle licence, insurance, road worthiness and all other particulars were in good order. But the moment he sighted my driver’s licence and discovered that it had expired by about one month, he beckoned to his superior and told him that I had no driver’s licence (not that it had expired). All my pleas fell on deaf ears. So also were the efforts I made to explain the circumstances and the frustration I had suffered in the bid to renew the licence. They drove my car straight to their yard and issued me a fine ticket.

    I had always appreciated the zeal with which VIO men carried out their duties and wished that other public servants would exhibit the same degree of commitment. But I was awfully disappointed to find that their zeal was clouded by certain ulterior motives. Their motivation, I later realised, could have come mainly from other unofficial fines they make offenders to pay, including the N1,000 an offender pays as demurrage for each day the car sleeps in their yard and N200 he pays for inflating each of his car tyres which are deflated as soon as his car gets into the yard. In my own case, for instance, I was arrested late on a Friday when it was no longer possible for me to pay the fine at a designated bank and retrieve my car. By the time I got there the following Monday after I had paid the fine in the bank, I was made to pay N3,000 as demurrage and N200 for each tyre inflated by their vulcanizer.

    I was alarmed when I demanded a receipt from the lady who collected the demurrage and she said she had none left. She gave all manner of excuses, but I insisted that I would not leave until a receipt was issued for the N3,000 I paid. In the end, she reached for her drawer and grudgingly gave me one. But for the money I paid to the standby vulcanizer, there was no receipt of any kind.

    However, the foregoing is not the real reason for this piece. My concern is the rigour I had to pass through just to have my driver’s licence renewed. I had endured the same rigour when I renewed my licecnce at the same Ojodu offices of the VIO and FRSC three years. There, they had captured my image and took my signature, thumbprint and other data. The impression I had then was that the rigorous exercise I underwent then was meant to make subsequent renewal of the licence very easy. So, as I headed for the Ojodu office of the FRSC about two weeks ago to renew my licence, I thought that all they would do would be to check their computer for the data they collected three years ago, ask a few questions to see if any of the pieces of information I gave had changed, take the expired licence and issued me a new one. How wrong!

    The moment I walked into the premises, I was confronted by the sight of aggrieved licence seekers, some of whom said they had paraded the place for weeks in fruitless effort to obtain new licences. Surprisingly, many of them had their data taken like mine three years ago on the basis of which they were issued their expired licences. Now they have to go through the entire process of downloading a fresh application form from the Internet, supplying new passport photographs, going to the bank to pay the sum of N6,350 and then move endlessly from one office of the VIO and FRSC to the other. In short, the process of licence renewal is so cumbersome and tedious that it seems a more dreadful punishment than being sent to a Boko Haram enclave in Borno State. Of what use are the data the FRSC collects year in and year out when one has to go through the present rigours of licence renewal? That is the question everyone is asking.

  • Jihadists in custody allege torture by military

    TIMBUKTU, Mali (AP) — Three suspected jihadists arrested in the days since they liberated the town of Timbuktu yesterday said  that Malian soldiers were torturing them with a method similar to waterboarding.

    The three are being held in an earthen cell in what remains of the military camp in Timbuktu, which was liberated earlier this week by French and Malian soldiers after nearly 10 months under the rule of radical Islamists.

    The men, who were tied together with a turban and one handcuff, all acknowledged having been members of the al-Qaida-linked group known as Ansar Dine, or Defenders of the Faith.

    “To force me to talk they poured 40 liters of water in my mouth and over my nostrils which made it so that I could not breathe anymore. For a moment I thought I was even going to die,” said one of the men, who gave his name as Ali Guindo and said he was from a village near the central Malian town of Niono.

    “I sleep in the cold and every night they come pour freezing water over me. “

    All three prisoners described similar treatment. Their account could not be independently verified. Soldiers holding the three asked reporters to leave after initially allowing journalists to speak with them.

    Army Col. Mamary Camara told reporters that the three were arrested by Malian forces in the town of Lere, and he said that one of the men was from Libya and was caught wearing a foreign military uniform.

    The Libyan jihadist was visibly frightened, crouching in a corner of his cell. He gave the AP contradictory information about his background, first saying he was born in a Malian village but of Libyan descent.

    Later, he said he was from Tripoli but has lived for years in Mali. He initially denied being part of Ansar Dine but later confirmed that he belonged to the movement though he denied having an important role.

    The Malian military said that when he was arrested he was wearing a watch with a memory card inside that they said was used to communicate with other foreign jihadists.

    The allegations of torture made public Friday in Timbuktu come as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International released reports Friday outlining other allegations of misconduct by the Malian military over the last month.

    Amnesty International cited witnesses saying the Malian army had arrested more than 24 civilians on the eve of the French-led intervention on Jan. 11. Amnesty says it is feared that many were later killed by soldiers and some bodies were thrown down a well in Sevare. The Associated Press had earlier reported killings of civilians by the Malian army in Sevare, with bodies dumped in a well.

    The Malian government has promised to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by its soldiers.

    France has said that it eventually wants to hand over responsibility for the mission to the Malian army and other African counterparts.