A/HRC/7/3/Add.4 page 21 as a whole. However the … justice sector is relevant and indeed central to poverty reduction initiatives…”.18 Moreover, “the solution to many of the problems that … [have been] … identified does not lie only in budgetary appropriation, much of the issues can be resolved administratively …”.19 70. Since the visit was carried out, the Special Rapporteur wishes to report on two important developments. 71. By letter dated 8 May 2007, President Obasanjo wrote to the Special Rapporteur to acknowledge receipt of a draft law on the definition and prohibition of torture in line with article 1 of CAT, information on OPCAT, and a new draft law on the establishment of a torture investigation commission, which he had requested at their 9 March 2007 meeting. He indicated that the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice were requested to use the draft laws as a basis for bills for consideration by the Federal Executive Council and onward transmission to the National Assembly for passage into law. 72. On 16 May 2007, the Government announced the release of all prisoners over 70, and those over 60 who have been on death row for 10 years or more; an information which was confirmed by the letter of the Nigerian Government dated 14 September 2007 (see paragraph 6 above). The Special Rapporteur welcomes this information and has requested the Government to provide detailed information on this process, including the numbers of prisoners released, the names of the death row prisoners that have been released, and the dates of their release. 73. The Special Rapporteur expresses his gratitude to President Obasanjo for taking these important initiatives. He calls upon the Government to expeditiously follow through. 74. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Nigeria has pledged cooperation with human rights treaty bodies, timely submission of State party reports, and declared its readiness to welcome Special Rapporteurs and to submit itself to universal periodic review. The invitation of the Government to the Special Rapporteur and the cooperation extended to him demonstrates Nigeria’s willingness to open itself up to independent and objective scrutiny of its human rights situation, and reaffirms its commitment to cooperate with the international community in the area of human rights. B. Recommendations 75. In this continuing spirit of cooperation and partnership, the Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government, with the assistance of the international community (i.e. the United Nations and other actors), take decisive steps to implement the following recommendations: 18 Proposals for Reform of the Administration of Justice in Nigeria, Presidential Commission on Reform of the Administration of Justice in Nigeria, February 2006, p. v. 19 Ibid., p. iii.