DRUG LAW

AND

POLICY REFORM

UNITED NATIONS (UN) COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE (CAT) ADVOCACY ON TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT IN CONNECTION TO DRUG POLICIES IN NIGERIA PROJECT 

 (2021-2022)

About the Project: African Law Foundation (AFRILAW) with support and partnership with International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) UK implemented The Torture and Drug Policies in Nigeria Research Project with a goal to gather evidence on torture and ill-treatment in connection to drug policies in Nigeria, through desk research and through consultation/interviews with affected communities; and engage with the UN Committee Against Torture so that it provides recommendations to Nigeria for the reform of laws that place people who use drugs or are engaged in drug activities at risk of torture and ill-treatment (i.e. abuses against people who use drugs, closer regulation and oversight of rehabilitation centres). The research report presents evidence on the physical and mental violence faced by people who use drugs in Nigeria. The information included in the report has been collected through a mixed methods approach that incorporates desk research, interviews, and a survey of 79 people who use drugs and other stakeholders in the Nigerian states of Abia, Abuja/FCT, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Kaduna, conducted throughout September 2021. 

In October 2021, African Law Foundation (AFRILAW) and International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture a “Shadow Report on Torture and Drug Policies developed from the Torture and Drug Policies in Nigeria Research Project Research Draft Report. The Shadow report was submitted in collaboration and support of the YouthRISE Nigeria, West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) Nigeria, Drug Harm Reduction Advocacy Network (DHRAN), Bensether Development Foundation, Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA), Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) Foundation and Human Rights Agenda Network (HRAN).

In November 2021, Nigeria´s compliance with the UN Convention Against Torture was reviewed by the UN Committee Against Torture (UNCAT), and AFRILAW on behalf of other CSOs who endorsed the Shadow Report made a presentation on key research findings to the UNCAT during the NGO Briefing Session on November 15, 2021. 

In December 2021, the UN Committee Against Torture published their recommendations on Nigeria with some direct acknowledgements of our submission, and recommendations that could be useful in future advocacy with Nigerian institutions.  

In this regard, it is imperative to organized the Public Presentation and Launch Event in other to create public awareness, and sensitized the policymakers and stakeholders on the Research Report and the various physical and mental violence faced by people who use drugs in Nigeria and to bring to the front burner the human rights situations, justice and accountability issues related to current drug law and policies in Nigeria and advocate for their reform.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES FOR 2022:

• PUBLIC PRESENTATION/LAUNCHING OF THE BRIEFING PAPER ON TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT AGAINST PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN NIGERIA ON APRIL 2022: 

The aim and objectives of the event are: To make public presentation and launch of the Torture and Drug Policies in Nigeria Research Report; To publish and disseminate copies of the Research Report among the policymakers and stakeholders; To carry out public awareness and sensitization of the policymakers and stakeholders on the Research Report and various physical and mental violence faced by people who use drugs in Nigeria;  To promote the protection of human rights, justice and accountability issues related to current drug law and policies in Nigeria; and To promote effective stakeholders engagement and advocacy for drug law and policy reform in Nigeria.

Key Project Results & Achievements:

• At least 20 policymakers including Parliamentarians and 30 CSOs were engaged, informed and sensitized on the Research Report and various physical and mental violence faced by people who use drugs in Nigeria by the published research report;
• At least 1 million citizens and the general public were sensitized and aware of the Research Report and various physical and mental violence faced by people who use drugs in Nigeria by the published research through the event and various media reports;
• About 500 copies of the Research Reports were published and disseminated among the policymakers and stakeholders; 
• Increased public awareness and highlights of various physical and mental violence faced by people who use drugs in Nigeria; and 
• Increased advocacy engagement with key policymakers including Parliamentarians and stakeholders for improved and effective drug law and policy reform in Nigeria.

2021 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AND SUPPORT DO NOT PUNISH CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME

About the Campaign Programme: AFRILAW continued its promotion of drug law and policy reform in Nigeria through the Global Day of Action and Support Do not Punish Campaign Programme.

In 2021, AFRILAW in partnership with the West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) organized the Nigeria Drug Policy Media Forum. The objective of the Forum was to educate and sensitize the selected government and private media personnel on key and relevant global and Nigeria drug policy issues and the role of the media in promoting drug policy reform in Nigeria. At the program also participants were introduced to the model law especially its provisions for alternative to incarceration. The program held on the 3rd of July 2021 and saw the participation of various media groups, civil society organizations and their various networks. 

2020 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AND SUPPORT DO NOT PUNISH CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME

Group picture with Human Rights and Justice State Actors

About the Campaign Programme: AFRILAW commemorated the World Drug Day and the Support Don’t Punish Campaign by hosting a workshop with the theme: “Improving Rule of Law, Human Rights, and Justice for Effective Drug Control in Nigeria”. The workshop was organized in partnership with the National Human Rights Commission; YouthRISE Nigeria, and Drug Harm Reduction Agency of Nigeria (DHRAN) with support from the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), 

The Workshop which held on Friday June 26, 2020 at the Enugu State Cooperative College Hall, saw the participation of CSOs working in drug-related areas of criminal justice, law enforcement, security, crime prevention, health, human rights, women and child rights protection, good governance, social development, education, drug abuse prevention, treatment and care, and relevant policy makers from National Human Right Commission (NHRC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Department of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Legal Aid Council etc.

The aim of the program was to create awareness and sensitize the human rights and justice, policymakers and CSOs/media organizations on the drug situation in Nigeria and International guidelines on human rights and drug policy as it relates drug law and policy reform in Nigeria.

2019 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AND SUPPORT DO NOT PUNISH CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME

AFRILAW continued its promotion of drug law and policy reform in Nigeria through the Global Day of Action and Support Do Not Punish Campaign Programme.

For the 2019 programme, AFRILAW in partnership with West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) Nigeria, Youth RISE- Nigeria, Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) of the Federal Ministry of Justice with support from International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) UK, PITCH and OSIWA organized a 1-Day Stakeholders Roundtable on Drug Control and Criminal Justice Reform in Nigeria on July 5th, 2019 at the ACJMC Conference Hall, Abuja with the theme “Improving Drug Control Responses through Effective Criminal Justice System”. The programme was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, NDLEA, EFCC, NAFDAC, Nigeria Prison Service, Nigeria Bar Association, National Human Right Commission, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Civil Society Organizations, Media and others. The aims and objectives of the programme were to create awareness and sensitize the drug law and criminal justice stakeholders on drug law and criminal justice reform issues and effective implementation of the administration of criminal justice act(ACJA) 2015 to drug control responses in Nigeria; to assess the level of compliance and implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to drug control response in Nigeria by drug law enforcement agencies; to advocate for effective implementation of the (ACJA) 2015 drug control responses by drug law enforcement agencies and other key stakeholders; to advocate for drug law and criminal justice reform for effective and sustainable drug control system in Nigeria.

Participants at the event

2018 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AND SUPPORT DO NOT PUNISH CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME AND LAUNCHING OF WADPN NIGERIA CHAPTER

AFRILAW continued  promoting  the  Global  Day  of  Action  and  Support  Do  Not  Punish Campaign  Programme  in  Nigeria  in  partnership  with West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) Nigeria Chapter and International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) in July to September 2018 with financial  support  from  WACSI/OSIWA.  The general topic of the 2018 Nigeria Global Day of Action and Support Do Not Punish Campaign Programme was “Improving Advocacy for Effective Drug Policy Reforming Nigeria”. The main aim and focus of the 2018 Nigeria Global Day of Action and Support Do Not Punish Campaign Programme was to improve drug policy reform advocacy engagement, awareness creation and mobilization of CSOs working in drug-related areas of criminal justice, law enforcement, security, crime prevention, health, human rights, women and child rights protection, good governance, social development, education, youth development, drug abuse prevention, treatment and care, and relevant policy makers from key federal government ministries, departments and agencies for active engagement and participation toward promoting drug policy reform and effective drug control responses in Nigeria. The key objectives include to sensitize and educate selected Nigerian CSOs on drug policy reform issues and advocacy; engage and sensitize the policy and law makers and other key stakeholders on effective legal and policy reform to drug control responses in Nigeria; and create a platform for improved CSOs participation and advocacy on drug policy reform in Nigeria through an official launching of the West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) Nigeria Chapter.

The main activities carried out under the 2018 Nigeria Global Day of Action and Support Do Not Punish Campaign Programme includes Media Round Table organized in partnership with YouthRISE Nigeria held on June 26 at Abuja in Commemoration of World Drug Day; advocacy visits and meetings to key policy makers and stakeholders at Abuja; public radio discussion programme held at Capital FM Abuja and Dream FM Enugu,  and  Nigeria  Drug  Policy Summit  held  at  Abuja   on  September  18,  2018  in  partnership  with  the  National  Human  Rights  Commission (NHRC)  with  support from  Open  Society Initiative  for  West Africa  (OSIWA).  The key highlight of  the  event  is  adoption  of  the  Stakeholders Declaration on Ensuring Sustainable Drug Policy Reforms and Its Effective Implementation in Nigeria (Abuja Declaration 2018

Group  Picture