Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu has sued the commission over alleged plan to force staff members to subscribe to an oath of secrecy.
Odinkalu, in a suit filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, said that the policy violated the staff’s rights to freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution and other legal instruments.
He also contended that the NHRC and its Executive Secretary were not empowered by any known law to direct the commission’s staff to subscribe to an oath of secrecy/confidentiality.
Odinkalu further contended that if the secrecy oath was allowed to take effect, it would violate his (the applicant’s) right to freedom of expression guaranteed under Section 39(1) of the Constitution, among other provisions.
Listed as respondents in the suit are the NHRC, its Executive Secretary, Anthony Ojukwu, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NHRC branch) and its Chairman, Comrade Efem Atu.
The former NHRC Chairman, is praying among others; an order declaring the plan to administer the secrecy oath on the NHRC staff as unlawful and a violation of constitutionally guaranteed rights as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from proceeding with the plan to subject staff of the NHRC to oath of secrecy/confidentiality.
