A/HRC/7/3/Add.4
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The Special Rapporteur met Mr. Ben Awor, Assistant Superintendent of Police, attached to
State CID. He denied any allegations of torture or ill-treatment taking place in the building.
However, when the Special Rapporteur identified a koboko (a three-braided cow-hide whip of
the type which corresponded to the allegations) in the room, he was told by investigating officers
that it was an item of evidence in a case. When the Special Rapporteur attempted to photograph
it, a plainclothes officer reached in from a window and fled with it. He was later ordered back
and the item was photographed.
C. Central Police Station
95. The Central Police Station is a two-floor building with offices on the first floor and eight
cells on the ground floor. At the time of the visit, the Officer in Charge was Sunday Kuryas. The
cells are overcrowded, dark and filthy. The women’s cell (with three detainees) is located within
the cells where male detainees are kept. A bucket serves as a toilet. Detainees have to sit and
sleep on the concrete floor, and complain about the lack of food.
96. Young boy. On a bench in the corridor, a young boy with severe injuries on his legs and
arms was found. He was barely able to sit or to stand up and was in need of medical treatment.
Officers arrived and intimidated the boy, who subsequently declined to be interviewed and was
brought outside of the building under armed guard.
97. Ms. Niskuk and Idosqeits, sisters, both aged 23. Since 26 February 2007, they have been
detained. The police demands the family pay Naira 20,000 to release them. They are detained in
a separate cell together with one other woman. They are not provided food and have no
possibility to shower.
98. Ms. Gertrud Daniel, aged 20. She has been detained incommunicado for one week, is
HIV positive, but reports no allegations of ill-treatment.
99. Recommendations. The Special Rapporteur recommends that prompt and independent
investigations of all torture allegations be carried out in order to bring those responsible to justice
(i.e. the alleged perpetrators including Ben Awor; those senior officers who were under a duty to
investigate as soon as there were reasonable grounds to believe that an act of torture had been
committed).
VII. NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
DEPARTMENT, GWAGWADE, KADUNA, KADUNA STATE
(Visited on 8 March 2007)
100. The Special Rapporteur was received by Mr. Ernest Ibhaze, the Commissioner of Police,
and Mr. Alkali Usman Yakubu Eway, Assistant.
101. General conditions and treatment in detention. Numerous allegations were received
indicating that torture was carried out in a specific room, known as the “Panteka”, on the
left-hand side on the first floor of the CID. There is a general climate of fear, and many detainees
declined to speak with the Special Rapporteur, or they ask for confidentiality (“They will kill me
if I give you my name.”). Detainees reported that the visit was expected and that they were
forced to clean their cells some days before. The cells, which are located on the ground floor, are
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