U.N. expert says torture common
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Nigeria’s national police force is committing widespread torture during interrogations and in prison cells, a United Nations investigator said.
Manfred Nowak said Nigerians in police custody were often flogged, beaten with sticks and machetes, shot in the foot or suspended from the ceiling.
“The conditions of detention in the police cells visited were appalling,” Nowak told the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council. He said prisoners often lacked food and water.
Nigeria’s U.N. mission in Geneva said it could not immediately comment. Nigeria’s president has acknowledged problems with the prison system.
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