CSOs, NHRC Lead Solidarity Walk in Abuja to Mark UN Day Against Torture

By Toffa Momoh | Abuja

The Committee Against Torture in Nigeria, CatNigeria, in partnership with civil society organisations and the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, staged a solidarity walk in Abuja to mark the 2026 United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

The walk, held in collaboration with Access to Justice, A2Justice, PRAWA, All Survivors Foundation Forum, ASFF, Legend Golden Care Foundation, and the NHRC, brought together human rights defenders, legal practitioners, survivors’ advocates, and citizens to raise public awareness on the prevention of torture and the protection of the rights and dignity of all persons.

Organizers said the exercise was designed to take the message beyond conference rooms and into public spaces, where citizens could visibly identify with the call for a torture-free society. Participants carried placards with messages on accountability, justice, rehabilitation for survivors, and the need for full implementation of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017.

Speaking during the walk, representatives of CatNigeria and its partners stressed that preventing torture requires sustained monitoring of places of detention, prompt investigation of allegations, prosecution of perpetrators, and support services for victims.

The coalition said the solidarity walk reaffirmed stakeholders’ collective commitment to promoting accountability, access to justice, and respect for human dignity in line with Nigeria’s national and international human rights obligations.

These include the UN Convention Against Torture, the Optional Protocol to the Convention, OPCAT, and Nigeria’s own Anti-Torture Act, which criminalizes torture and provides remedies for victims.

The NHRC, in its capacity as Nigeria’s National Preventive Mechanism under OPCAT, joined the walk to underscore the role of preventive monitoring, public education, and collaboration with civil society in ending ill-treatment in detention.

The partners urged government agencies, security institutions, and the judiciary to strengthen safeguards for persons in custody, ensure independent oversight of detention facilities, and prioritize victim rehabilitation.

They also called on Nigerians to speak up against torture, support survivors, and hold institutions accountable, noting that a society free from cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment is central to justice and democratic governance.

The UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed globally every June 26 to mobilize action for the eradication of torture and to stand in solidarity with survivors.