The chairman, Governing Council,
National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, Chidi Odinkalu has released
a public statement on Enugu First Clama Chime's case. Statement below..
I have
been inundated by inquiries about the on going processes of the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) in relation to a recent complaint initiated by Mrs.
Clara Chime. As the complainant in this case is
the spouse of a senior political office holder, this complaint has naturally
elicited somewhat fevered public interest.
In connection with this matter and
in the past 72 Hours, the Commission deployed a high level investigation team
to Enugu. Professor Bem Angwe, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, led
the team. Upon returning from Enugu, the
Executive Secretary, reflecting the public interest in this case, exercised
judgement in authorizing and issuing on 8 November 2013 a public statement on
the visit to Enugu. The full text of this statement is below.
As a practice, cases and complaints
received by the Commission are processed in accordance with the National Human
Rights Commission Act, (as amended) and with the Standing Orders and Rules of
Procedure of the Commission.
Having carefully reviewed the work
so far undertaken by the staff of the Commission, I find no bases in them for the
claims or speculation, widely circulated in the media, that the Commission has
pronounced on the state of health, physical or mental, of the complainant or
indeed of any other party in this case.
