Enugu Government House Hostage: I Was Fully Briefed By Mrs Clara Chime, Asserts Femi Falana

Human rights advocate Femi Falana has repudiated the claim by the
governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, that he did not receive a
brief from his wife to represent her to secure her release from the
illegal detention imposed by her husband, the governor.
"I wish to say, without any fear of contradiction, that I have her
instructions in writing to challenge her illegal detention at the
Government House, Enugu," he declared in a statement on Wednesday.
"Through the assistance of some of the security personnel in the
Government House she has since spoken to me on phone to confirm her
instructions. Indeed, Mrs Chime's mother and her personal physician
have also been in touch with me urging me to take all appropriate
measures to secure her freedom from Governor Chime's illegal
confinement."
Beyond that, Mr. Falana pointed out that contrary to the governor's
diversionary statement, he does not need the instructions of citizens
who are illegally detained to demand for their release.
"Without any instructions I am duty bound to file cases in court to
secure the enforcement of the fundamental rights of detainees to
personal liberty. For the avoidance of doubt, the doctrine of locus
standi in the area of human rights has been abolished by the
Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 which came into
force on December 1, 2009," he said.
Mr. Falana noted that at the press conference Governor Chime succeeded
in confirming the allegation that he has held his wife in illegal
custody but attempted to justify the illegality by alleging that his
wife has "a medical challenge".
Said the statement: "When Governor Chime was recently medically
challenged he was not subjected to solitary confinement in the
Government House but flown abroad for adequate medical treatment," the
lawyer said. "But Mr Chime has conspired with his private physicians
to sentence his wife to unwarranted mental torture and psychological
trauma in a room in the Government House for the past four months. If
Mr. Chime's claim is correct that the wife is non compos mentis, when
was the Enugu Government House converted to a psychiatric hospital?
"Having confirmed the allegation that he has willfully infringed the
fundamental rights of his wife to personal liberty, dignity of the
person and freedom of movement Governor Chime should release his wife
from illegal custody [and] be warned not to divert attention from the
brutal abuse of the rights of his wife. If he and his doctors are
convinced that she is medically challenged they should send her to a
hospital for quick recovery!"
Mr. Falana thanked the Director-General of the State Security Service
who, he said, has directed the security service personnel attached to
the Government House to desist from teaming up with the Governor to
hold his wife hostage.