Chime‘s Wife Petitions Rights Commission to Save Her from Husband

•Accuses governor of incarceration, abuses  

•Falana writes IG to ensure first lady is freed

By Shola Oyeyipo

Mrs. Clara C. Chime, wife of Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, has called on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to save her from her husband.

Mrs. Chime, in a petition to the commission, a copy, which was obtained by THISDAY yesterday, accused the governor of an abusive relationship that has led to her suffering from depression.

The governor, she added, has locked her up in a room and denied her access to her four-year-old son and visitors.

Also, her lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, in a letter dated November 1 to the Inspector General of Police (IG), demanded the immediate release of Mrs. Chime from unlawful custody.

The petition of the governor's wife read: “I have been married to Governor Sullivan Chime for five years. It has been a somewhat tempestuous relationship, which has virtually irretrievably broken down in the past couple of years.

“We do not have a relationship anymore and the situation inevitably led to my nervous breakdown. I have been diagnosed with severe depression and at some point was quite suicidal.

“The strategy of my estranged husband is to subject me to the most horrific and intolerable of conditions to cause my demise but my strength and will to live has kept me alive. It is very difficult to outline everything happening to me here but I shall enumerate the major issues below: 

• Not had sexual relationship with my husband for four years;
• Deprived of all my responsibilities as a wife;
• Prevented from bonding with my four-year-old son;
• Barred me from receiving visitors, whether family or friends;
• In the last three weeks, a lady friend who visited me was stopped from seeing me and the result is now complete incarceration from the outside world;
• In effect, I am locked up in my bedroom, without access to anybody.”

She continued: “I am only allowed food but no access to fresh air; I have been locked up because I demanded to leave, even without my son. Governor Chime recently revoked my land allocation; the governor is doing everything possible to break my will.

“All I want and demand is to be allowed to leave. If I have committed any crime, I request that due process should be followed. I was also recently attacked by my husband before the visitor mentioned above who is a living witness and will be prepared to testify.

“I am falsely being imprisoned and the state House of Assembly should be made (to be) aware of this.
“My husband pays a doctor to inject me with all sorts of drugs. I have the capacity to decide whether or not I need the treatment. On occasions where I had refused the medication because of the intolerable side effects, I was restrained and given it against my will. All my rights are being violated.

“I would also wish the Nigerian Medical Council be informed of the activity of this doctor who is only interested in my husband’s wishes and does not care about my suffering. Medical confidentiality is not part of this doctor’s tool.

“I have tried to leave and was pushed back by the security agents and it is clear I am unable to do so except through other intermediaries.

“My passionate plea is to be allowed to leave peacefully as I no more wish to exist under this prevailing state. In the event that I die, please note that this must have been brought about by my husband. I wish to make it categorically clear that I have no intention of taking my own life. I have completely lost trust in my estranged husband.

“The possibility of the doctor injecting me with a lethal substance must never be underestimated. I have a friend who is a good friend of the family and would collaborate a lot in the event of any mishap to me and wish not to mention the name but he would contact you ultimately.

“I am begging you to help facilitate my release and bring my suffering and ordeal to an end.”
Taking up her case, Falana in the letter to the IG, said his client was being held against her will in the Government House on the order of the governor.

“For some inexplicable reason, our client (Mrs. Chime) has been kept incommunicado in solitary confinement in one of the rooms in the Government House, Enugu, Enugu State for over four months on the directives of Governor Chime.

“Thus, our client's fundamental rights to dignity of her person, personal liberty, fair hearing, private and family life and freedom of movement guaranteed in the constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 have been violated without any legal justification.”

He accused some the security detail of the governor and other family members of complicity in the illegal detention of Mrs. Chime. Falana warned that while the governor enjoys immunity as provided for in the 1999 Constitution, his security detail do not and therefore urged the IG to sanction them under the relevant service laws.

He called on the police boss to intervene and ensure the release of Mrs. Chime or in the alternative, he would approach the Federal High Court to compel him to discharge his duty in the circumstance.

Efforts to get the governor's side of the story were futile. Also, his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, who promised to get back to THISDAY after speaking with his principal had not done so at press time

@ Thisday