Video: Rivers Deputy Governor chased me from relief camp, dead HIV victim narrates

Tele Ikuru, Deputy Governor of Rivers State, chased a HIV victim from camp and caused her death, video by Social Action shows.

A video accusing the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru, of causing the death of a woman, Chidinma Lucky, has surfaced on Youtube.

On Thursday, Social Action, a non-governmental organization that got involved with relief items for flood victims, accused Mr. Ikuru of chasing Ms. Lucky away from the camp because she was HIV positive.

Ms. Lucky was then forced to relocate to an uncompleted building where she died.

Social Action had petitioned the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, NHRC, to investigate and sanction the Deputy Governor for the role he played in the death of Ms. Lucky.

The group noted that Mr. Ikuru abused the fundamental human rights of the deceased including her rights to shelter, dignity and freedom from discrimination.

The Rivers State Government countered the accusations, calling it a lie and an attempt by the group to malign and discredit the governor.

“The Rivers State Government wishes to state unequivocally that at no time did the Deputy Governor of Rivers State order the eviction of ANY person in ANY of the camps set up by the Rivers State Government for ANY reason,” the state government said.

Vivian Bellonwu, spokesperson of Social Action, however, told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Ikuru truly acted in the manner claimed by her organization.

She said there is evidence for their allegations.

On Friday, Ms. Bellonwu put up the video of the deceased on Youtube. The deceased, in the video ,spoke about how the Deputy Governor chased her away from the camp because he was disgusted with her ailment and did not want her to infect anyone.

“Na the executive governor(Mr. Ikuru) wey come, na im say make I comot, say e no want make I give another person sickness,” Ms. Lucky said in the video.