Complicity On Torture

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Solomon Adeleye

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Request Investigation
Reports on Endemic "Torture" in Nigeria: (26 May 2010):

Published by
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019 USA

(1) SORROS FOUNDATION REPORT LINK:

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice...

Summary Findings from above report in quote

"Police in Nigeria commit extrajudicial killings, torture, rape, and extortion with relative impunity. Nigeria Police Force personnel routinely carry out summary executions of persons accused or suspected of crime; rely on torture as a principal means of investigation; commit rape of both sexes, with a particular focus on sex workers; and engage in extortion at nearly every opportunity.
The Nigerian government has acknowledged these problems and promised to address them in the past, but to date, abuses have continued with no real accountability. Nigeria's leadership must pay serious attention to police reform if it hopes to succeed in restoring public safety."

"We have found some shocking levels of violence and abuse. People are dying at the hands of police officers. Torture routinely takes the place of proper investigation, and rape seems to be commonplace when the police arrest vulnerable women. Overall, the police in Nigeria are more likely to commit crimes that to prevent them"

And

(2) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT LINK:

http://thereport.amnesty.org/regions/afr...
&
http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/...

Summary Findings from above report in quote:

"In Nigeria, hundreds of people are unlawfully killed every year by the police, and 2009 was no exception. These unlawful killings, many of which may be extra-judicial executions, and which occur in police stations, at road blocks or in the street, are hardly ever investigated. Those who live in poverty face a greater risk of being killed as they are not in a position to bribe police officers. The law in Nigeria provides more grounds for lethal force than those permitted by international human rights law and standards".
"The police continued to commit with impunity a wide range of human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. Some people were targeted for failing to pay bribes. Several people were tortured to death in police detention. Prisoners were held in appalling conditions, many of whom had been awaiting trial for years. The government intimidated and harassed human rights defenders and journalists. Violence against women remained endemic, and abuses against people suspected of same-sex relationships continued. Forced evictions affected thousands of people across the country".

"Unlawful killings and enforced disappearances. Hundreds of people died at the hands of the police.
Many were unlawfully killed before or during arrest in the street or at roadblocks, or subsequently in police detention. Others were tortured to death in police detention. A large proportion of these unlawful killings may have constituted extrajudicial executions. Many other people disappeared after arrest. The families of such victims rarely receive redress and are often left with no answers. Most perpetrators remain unpunished. Although the police have mechanisms to receive complaints from the public, these complaints are often unprocessed. Police shot and injured Christian Onuigbo on 19 March while he was parking his car in Jiwa, Federal Capital Territory. He spent the night at Jiwa police station and was taken to hospital the next morning. Staff at the hospital refused to treat him without a police report, which was finally submitted at 4pm. Christian Onuigbo died the following day. Aneke Okorie, an Okada (motorcycle taxi) rider, was shot after he failed to pay a bribe to the police at a checkpoint in Emene, Enugu state, on 15 May. He died on the way to hospital. An eyewitness told Amnesty International that the police officer shot Aneke Okorie in the stomach and then hung his gun around Aneke Okorie’s neck to suggest that the police officer had been attacked by an armed robber. In September, the police officer was dismissed and prosecuted; he was awaiting trial at the end of the year. Stanley Adiele Uwakwe and Faka Tamunotonye Kalio were arrested on 10 May and brought to Old GRA detention centre in Port Harcourt. After several days, they were transferred to another police station, but
officers there told relatives that the men were not in detention. Unofficially, relatives were informed that the men had been killed by the police".

Also

(3) The UNITED NATIONS REPORT LINK: (HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL):

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/G...

Summary findings in above report by the Special Rapporteur in Quote

"On the basis of an analysis of the legal system, visits to detention facilities, interviews with
detainees, the support of forensic medical evidence, and interviews with government officials,
lawyers and representatives of NGOs, the Special Rapporteur concluded that torture and
ill-treatment is widespread in police custody, and particularly systemic in the Criminal
Investigation Departments. In a vivid first-hand account, the circumstances surrounding the
deaths of the two persons personally interviewed by the Special Rapporteur - examples of
serious torture, disappearance and extrajudicial killing - illustrate and confirm the inability of the
current system to effectively investigate allegations, protect victims of serious human rights
violations, and bring law enforcement officials in Nigeria to account.

(1)What steps as a matter of policy does the UK government, including all intelligence and security agencies, take to ensure that torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are not used in any cases in which it has asked the Nigerian authorities for assistance or cooperation?
(2)What does the UK government do when it learns that torture or ill-treatment has occurred in a particular case?
(3)What conditions has the UK government put on continuing cooperation and assistance with Nigeria in counter-terror and law enforcement activities?
(4)Has the UK government ever conditioned continuing cooperation or assistance with Nigeria on an end to torture and other ill-treatment?
(5)Has the UK government ever withdrawn cooperation in a particular case or cases because of torture or ill-treatment?
(6)What is the policy and legal advice in force to ensure that UK officials and agents do not participate or acquiesce in, or are complicit in torture or ill-treatment?
(7) What steps has the Foreign and Commonwealth Office taken since the above reports came (26/06/2010) out to PROTECT BRITISH citizens travelling to Nigeria or Living in Nigeria
(8) The report by the UN, Amnesty International and Sorros Foundation is unanimous in finding that " torture and ill-treatment is widespread in police custody, and particularly systematic in the Criminal Investigation Departments" by the Police and Security services in Nigeria : Please clarify if this warning is synonymous in the warnings and Advice on the Information given to British Citizens on the Foreign and Commonwealth Website?

Yours Sincerely,

'Solomon OluSeyi Adeleye DOB 21/04/1965

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

Solomon Adeleye

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

I Remind You That You Are Breaking The Law .

You Have Failed To Acknowledge Or Answer Our Freedom Of Information Request.

We Intend To Seek Advice On This Issue If You Continue To, Without Cause Abide By Freedom Of Information Act.

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Dear Mr Adeleye,

Unfortunately we have no record of receiving your Freddom of Information
Request.

However, under section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, a person
is entitled to request information of a public authority. Section 3 of the
Act defines a "public authority" as any body which, any person who, or the
holder of any office which-

i) is listed in Schedule 1, or

ii) is designated by order under Section 5

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is a Non-Departmental Public Body, which
is neither listed in Schedule 1, nor designated under section 5 of the
Act. Consequently it is not covered by the definition of a Public
Authority under the Act and therefore is not required to action requests
for information under this Act.

Yours sincerely

Helen Wood (Mrs)

Assistant Tribunal Secretary

On Thu 29/07/10 4:46 AM , Solomon Adeleye
[FOI #40251 email] sent:

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

I Remind You That You Are Breaking The Law .

You Have Failed To Acknowledge Or Answer Our Freedom Of Information
Request.

We Intend To Seek Advice On This Issue If You Continue To, Without
Cause Abide By Freedom Of Information Act.

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

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Solomon Adeleye

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Thank you for your reply.

Below is a copy of the initial request for Information i sent to you over 3 weeks ago.
Please send acknowledgement or receipt that you have received this Request.

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Request Investigation
Reports on Endemic "Torture" in Nigeria: (26 May 2010):

Published by
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019 USA

(1) SORROS FOUNDATION REPORT LINK:

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice...

Summary Findings from above report in quote

"Police in Nigeria commit extra-judicial killings, torture, rape,
and extortion with relative impunity. Nigeria Police Force
personnel routinely carry out summary executions of persons accused
or suspected of crime; rely on torture as a principal means of
investigation; commit rape of both sexes, with a particular focus
on sex workers; and engage in extortion at nearly every
opportunity.
The Nigerian government has acknowledged these problems and
promised to address them in the past, but to date, abuses have
continued with no real accountability. Nigeria's leadership must
pay serious attention to police reform if it hopes to succeed in
restoring public safety."

"We have found some shocking levels of violence and abuse. People
are dying at the hands of police officers. Torture routinely takes
the place of proper investigation, and rape seems to be commonplace
when the police arrest vulnerable women. Overall, the police in
Nigeria are more likely to commit crimes that to prevent them"

And

(2) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT LINK:

http://thereport.amnesty.org/regions/afr...
&
http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/...

Summary Findings from above report in quote:

"In Nigeria, hundreds of people are unlawfully killed every year by
the police, and 2009 was no exception. These unlawful killings,
many of which may be extra-judicial executions, and which occur in
police stations, at road blocks or in the street, are hardly ever
investigated. Those who live in poverty face a greater risk of
being killed as they are not in a position to bribe police
officers. The law in Nigeria provides more grounds for lethal force
than those permitted by international human rights law and
standards".
"The police continued to commit with impunity a wide range of human
rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and other
ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. Some people were
targeted for failing to pay bribes. Several people were tortured to
death in police detention. Prisoners were held in appalling
conditions, many of whom had been awaiting trial for years. The
government intimidated and harassed human rights defenders and
journalists. Violence against women remained endemic, and abuses
against people suspected of same-sex relationships continued.
Forced evictions affected thousands of people across the country".

"Unlawful killings and enforced disappearances. Hundreds of people
died at the hands of the police.
Many were unlawfully killed before or during arrest in the street
or at roadblocks, or subsequently in police detention. Others were
tortured to death in police detention. A large proportion of these
unlawful killings may have constituted extra-judicial executions.
Many other people disappeared after arrest. The families of such
victims rarely receive redress and are often left with no answers.
Most perpetrators remain unpunished. Although the police have
mechanisms to receive complaints from the public, these complaints
are often unprocessed. Police shot and injured Christian Onuigbo on
19 March while he was parking his car in Jiwa, Federal Capital
Territory. He spent the night at Jiwa police station and was taken
to hospital the next morning. Staff at the hospital refused to
treat him without a police report, which was finally submitted at
4pm. Christian Onuigbo died the following day. Aneke Okorie, an
Okada (motorcycle taxi) rider, was shot after he failed to pay a
bribe to the police at a checkpoint in Emene, Enugu state, on 15
May. He died on the way to hospital. An eyewitness told Amnesty
International that the police officer shot Aneke Okorie in the
stomach and then hung his gun around Aneke Okorie’s neck to suggest
that the police officer had been attacked by an armed robber. In
September, the police officer was dismissed and prosecuted; he was
awaiting trial at the end of the year. Stanley Adiele Uwakwe and
Faka Tamunotonye Kalio were arrested on 10 May and brought to Old
GRA detention centre in Port Harcourt. After several days, they
were transferred to another police station, but
officers there told relatives that the men were not in detention.
Unofficially, relatives were informed that the men had been killed
by the police".

Also

(3) The UNITED NATIONS REPORT LINK: (HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL):

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/G...

Summary findings in above report by the Special Rapporteur in Quote

"On the basis of an analysis of the legal system, visits to
detention facilities, interviews with
detainees, the support of forensic medical evidence, and interviews
with government officials,
lawyers and representatives of NGOs, the Special Rapporteur
concluded that torture and
ill-treatment is widespread in police custody, and particularly
systemic in the Criminal
Investigation Departments. In a vivid first-hand account, the
circumstances surrounding the
deaths of the two persons personally interviewed by the Special
Rapporteur - examples of
serious torture, disappearance and extra-judicial killing -
illustrate and confirm the inability of the
current system to effectively investigate allegations, protect
victims of serious human rights
violations, and bring law enforcement officials in Nigeria to
account.

(1)What steps as a matter of policy does the UK government,
including all intelligence and security agencies, take to ensure
that torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment are not used in any cases in which it has asked the
Nigerian authorities for assistance or cooperation?
(2)What does the UK government do when it learns that torture or
ill-treatment has occurred in a particular case?
(3)What conditions has the UK government put on continuing
cooperation and assistance with Nigeria in counter-terror and law
enforcement activities?
(4)Has the UK government ever conditioned continuing cooperation or
assistance with Nigeria on an end to torture and other
ill-treatment?
(5)Has the UK government ever withdrawn cooperation in a particular
case or cases because of torture or ill-treatment?
(6)What is the policy and legal advice in force to ensure that UK
officials and agents do not participate or acquiesce in, or are
complicity in torture or ill-treatment?
(7) What steps has the Foreign and Commonwealth Office taken since
the above reports came (26/06/2010) out to PROTECT BRITISH citizens
travelling to Nigeria or Living in Nigeria
(8) The report by the UN, Amnesty International and Sorros
Foundation is unanimous in finding that " torture and ill-treatment
is widespread in police custody, and particularly systematic in the
Criminal Investigation Departments" by the Police and Security
services in Nigeria : Please clarify if this warning is synonymous in the warnings and Advice on the Information given to British Citizens on the Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Website

'Solomon OluSeyi Adeleye DOB 21/04/1965

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Dear Mr Adeleye,

I am writing, as requested to acknowledge receipt of your email dated
30/07/10. However, for the reasons explained in my email to you of
30/07/10 the Tribunal is not required to action request for information
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am sorry that the Tribunal cannot assist you any further in this matter.

Yours sincerly

Helen Wood (Mrs)

Assistant Tribunal Secretary

On Fri 30/07/10 8:09 PM , Solomon Adeleye
[FOI #40251 email] sent:

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Thank you for your reply.

Below is a copy of the initial request for Information i sent to
you over 3 weeks ago.
Please send acknowledgement or receipt that you have received this
Request.

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Request Investigation
Reports on Endemic "Torture" in Nigeria: (26 May 2010):

Published by
Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019 USA

(1) SORROS FOUNDATION REPORT LINK:

[1]http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice...

Summary Findings from above report in quote

"Police in Nigeria commit extra-judicial killings, torture, rape,
and extortion with relative impunity. Nigeria Police Force
personnel routinely carry out summary executions of persons accused
or suspected of crime; rely on torture as a principal means of
investigation; commit rape of both sexes, with a particular focus
on sex workers; and engage in extortion at nearly every
opportunity.
The Nigerian government has acknowledged these problems and
promised to address them in the past, but to date, abuses have
continued with no real accountability. Nigeria's leadership must
pay serious attention to police reform if it hopes to succeed in
restoring public safety."

"We have found some shocking levels of violence and abuse. People
are dying at the hands of police officers. Torture routinely takes
the place of proper investigation, and rape seems to be commonplace
when the police arrest vulnerable women. Overall, the police in
Nigeria are more likely to commit crimes that to prevent them"

And

(2) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT LINK:

[2]http://thereport.amnesty.org/regions/afr...
&
[3]http://thereport.amnesty.org/en/regions/...

Summary Findings from above report in quote:

"In Nigeria, hundreds of people are unlawfully killed every year by
the police, and 2009 was no exception. These unlawful killings,
many of which may be extra-judicial executions, and which occur in
police stations, at road blocks or in the street, are hardly ever
investigated. Those who live in poverty face a greater risk of
being killed as they are not in a position to bribe police
officers. The law in Nigeria provides more grounds for lethal force
than those permitted by international human rights law and
standards".
"The police continued to commit with impunity a wide range of human
rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture and other
ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. Some people were
targeted for failing to pay bribes. Several people were tortured to
death in police detention. Prisoners were held in appalling
conditions, many of whom had been awaiting trial for years. The
government intimidated and harassed human rights defenders and
journalists. Violence against women remained endemic, and abuses
against people suspected of same-sex relationships continued.
Forced evictions affected thousands of people across the country".

"Unlawful killings and enforced disappearances. Hundreds of people
died at the hands of the police.
Many were unlawfully killed before or during arrest in the street
or at roadblocks, or subsequently in police detention. Others were
tortured to death in police detention. A large proportion of these
unlawful killings may have constituted extra-judicial executions.
Many other people disappeared after arrest. The families of such
victims rarely receive redress and are often left with no answers.
Most perpetrators remain unpunished. Although the police have
mechanisms to receive complaints from the public, these complaints
are often unprocessed. Police shot and injured Christian Onuigbo on
19 March while he was parking his car in Jiwa, Federal Capital
Territory. He spent the night at Jiwa police station and was taken
to hospital the next morning. Staff at the hospital refused to
treat him without a police report, which was finally submitted at
4pm. Christian Onuigbo died the following day. Aneke Okorie, an
Okada (motorcycle taxi) rider, was shot after he failed to pay a
bribe to the police at a checkpoint in Emene, Enugu state, on 15
May. He died on the way to hospital. An eyewitness told Amnesty
International that the police officer shot Aneke Okorie in the
stomach and then hung his gun around Aneke Okorie***s neck to suggest
that the police officer had been attacked by an armed robber. In
September, the police officer was dismissed and prosecuted; he was
awaiting trial at the end of the year. Stanley Adiele Uwakwe and
Faka Tamunotonye Kalio were arrested on 10 May and brought to Old
GRA detention centre in Port Harcourt. After several days, they
were transferred to another police station, but
officers there told relatives that the men were not in detention.
Unofficially, relatives were informed that the men had been killed
by the police".

Also

(3) The UNITED NATIONS REPORT LINK: (HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL):

[4]http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/G...

Summary findings in above report by the Special Rapporteur in Quote

"On the basis of an analysis of the legal system, visits to
detention facilities, interviews with
detainees, the support of forensic medical evidence, and interviews
with government officials,
lawyers and representatives of NGOs, the Special Rapporteur
concluded that torture and
ill-treatment is widespread in police custody, and particularly
systemic in the Criminal
Investigation Departments. In a vivid first-hand account, the
circumstances surrounding the
deaths of the two persons personally interviewed by the Special
Rapporteur - examples of
serious torture, disappearance and extra-judicial killing -
illustrate and confirm the inability of the
current system to effectively investigate allegations, protect
victims of serious human rights
violations, and bring law enforcement officials in Nigeria to
account.

(1)What steps as a matter of policy does the UK government,
including all intelligence and security agencies, take to ensure
that torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment are not used in any cases in which it has asked the
Nigerian authorities for assistance or cooperation?
(2)What does the UK government do when it learns that torture or
ill-treatment has occurred in a particular case?
(3)What conditions has the UK government put on continuing
cooperation and assistance with Nigeria in counter-terror and law
enforcement activities?
(4)Has the UK government ever conditioned continuing cooperation or
assistance with Nigeria on an end to torture and other
ill-treatment?
(5)Has the UK government ever withdrawn cooperation in a particular
case or cases because of torture or ill-treatment?
(6)What is the policy and legal advice in force to ensure that UK
officials and agents do not participate or acquiesce in, or are
complicity in torture or ill-treatment?
(7) What steps has the Foreign and Commonwealth Office taken since
the above reports came (26/06/2010) out to PROTECT BRITISH citizens
travelling to Nigeria or Living in Nigeria
(8) The report by the UN, Amnesty International and Sorros
Foundation is unanimous in finding that " torture and ill-treatment
is widespread in police custody, and particularly systematic in the
Criminal Investigation Departments" by the Police and Security
services in Nigeria : Please clarify if this warning is synonymous
in the warnings and Advice on the Information given to British
Citizens on the Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Website

'Solomon OluSeyi Adeleye DOB 21/04/1965

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

show quoted sections

Solomon Adeleye

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Sorry, i think you are misguided
I am not asking the above questions under the "Freedom Of Information Act"

The Questions asked are only asked on basis of, "request for information"
I said this on the accompanying letter.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is a "Public Body" is it not?
If you are not allowed to answer inquiries based on questions please let us know

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Dear Mr Adeleye,

The Tribunal's function is to investigate complaints of anything you
believe has taken place against you, your property or communications, as
long as it relates to a power held by the organisation you are complaining
about, under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA). All the
organisations that hold powers under RIPA are UK organizations. We also
take complaints against the conduct of the UK Intelligence Agencies.

It is not the function of the Tribunal to answer policy questions
regarding action by the UK intelligence and security agencies. You may
find the following document useful but any further questions regarding
policy matters should be directed to the relevant department.

[1]http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/int...

I hope this information is useful to you.

Yours sincerely

Helen Wood (Mrs.)

Assistant Tribunal Secretary

On Mon 2/08/10 12:58 PM , Solomon Adeleye
[FOI #40251 email] sent:

Dear Investigatory Powers Tribunal,

Sorry, i think you are misguided
I am not asking the above questions under the "Freedom Of
Information Act"

The Questions asked are only asked on basis of, "request for
information"
I said this on the accompanying letter.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is a "Public Body" is it not?
If you are not allowed to answer inquiries based on questions
please let us know

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adeleye

show quoted sections

Nick Ford left an annotation ()

Look or contact Liberty or his MP as this body seems unaccountable (in itself interesting?)

Nigeria is a sovereign country and we are unable to interfere in its internal affairs-we can talk but that is all, we have no, as it seems to me it is suggested in the text, responsiblity for the situation in Nigeria.

Oysterman (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

'Nigeria is a sovereign country and we are unable to interfere in its internal affairs'

Oh, Britain is able.