“Survivors Can’t Wait Any Longer” — ASF France Demands Action Against Torture in Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria — June 26, 2026
Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France), also known as Lawyers Without Borders France, has renewed its call for accountability, justice, and support for victims of torture in Nigeria as the world marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
The organization said it stands in solidarity with torture survivors across the country and urged authorities to end impunity by ensuring perpetrators are prosecuted while victims receive the protection and rehabilitation they deserve.
Since 2009, ASF France has been at the forefront of efforts to combat torture in Nigeria through legal aid, advocacy, documentation, and survivor support programmes. According to the organization, more than 1,000 torture victims have benefited from its legal assistance, with many securing justice through Nigerian courts and regional human rights mechanisms.
Despite these gains, ASF France expressed concern that the Anti-Torture Act signed into law in 2017 remains largely unenforced more than eight years later. The group noted that the lack of implementation continues to deprive survivors of compensation, rehabilitation, and other protections guaranteed under the law.
However, ASF France welcomed recent information from the Federal Ministry of Justice indicating that the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Torture Act have reached the gazetting stage, describing the development as a potentially significant step toward full implementation.
The Country Director of ASF France Nigeria, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said meaningful action must follow the gazetting process.
“Perpetrators of torture must be held accountable if Nigeria is to break the cycle of impunity,” she said.
“Gazetting the IRR must be followed immediately with training for law enforcement officers, adequate funding for rehabilitation programmes, and visible prosecutions. Survivors cannot wait any longer for justice.”
To strengthen the fight against torture, ASF France called on the Federal Government to fast-track the gazetting and enforcement of the Anti-Torture Act’s IRR, ensure independent investigations and prosecutions of alleged offenders, and establish accessible medical, psychosocial, and legal support services for survivors.
The organization stressed that torture remains a criminal offence under both Nigerian and international law, adding that true support for survivors requires translating legal provisions into practical justice.
ASF France is an international non-governmental organization focused on promoting human rights and access to justice. In Nigeria, it implements the eRIGHTS and anti-torture programmes, providing free legal assistance to victims of torture and other human rights violations.