Section 6: Powers of the Commission.(As amended by the National Human Rights Commission(Amendment)Act,2010

(1) The Commission shall have power to-
(a) conduct investigations and inquiries in such manner as it considers appropriate;
(b) institute any civil action on any matter it deems fit in relation to the exercise of its functions under this Act;
(c) appoint any person, whether or not such person is in the public service, to act as an interpreter in any matter brought before it and to translate any such book, paper or writing produced to it ;
(d) visit persons, police cells and other places of detention in order to ascertain the conditions thereof and make recommendations to the
appropriate authorities;
(e) make determination as to the damages or compensation payable in relation to any violation of human rights where it deems this necessary in the circumstances of the case;
(f) co-operate with and consult with other agencies and organizations, governmental and non-governmental, as it may deem appropriate ; and
(g) do such other things as are incidental, necessary, conducive or expedient for the performance of its functions under this Act.
(2) Whenever it appears to the Chairman upon information and after such inquiry as he shall think necessary, that there is reasonable cause to suspect that in any place there is a evidence of the commission of any offence under this Act, he may by written order direct an officer of the Commission to obtain a court order to-
(a) enter upon any land or premises or by any agent or agents duly authorized in writing for any purpose which, in the opinion of the Council is material to the functions of the Commission, and in particular, for the purpose of obtaining evidence or information or of inspecting or taking copies of any document required by, or which may be of assistance to, the Commission and for safeguarding any such document or property which in the opinion of the Council ought to be safeguarded for any purpose of its investigations or proceedings;
(b) summon and interrogate any person, body or authority to appear before it for the purpose of a public inquiry aimed at the resolution of a complaint of human rights violation;
(c) issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so and does not excuse such failure, refusal or neglect to the satisfaction of the Commission ;
(d) compel any person, body or authority who, in its opinion, has any information relating to any matter under its investigation to furnish it with any information or produce any document or other evidence which is in his or her custody and which relates to any matter being investigated ; and
(e) compel the attendance of witnesses to produce evidence before it.
(3) In exercising its functions and powers under this Act, the Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person.
(4) It is an offence for any person, body or authority to-
(a) refuse to provide evidence, including documentary evidence, to the Commission in response to a written request to do so ;
(b) obstruct or do anything to prevent any member of the Council or an employee of the Commission from the lawful exercise of any of the functions conferred on the Commission by this Act ;,
(c) punish, intimidate, harass or discriminate against any person for co-operating with the Commission in the exercise of its functions under this Act; or
(d) refuse to comply with lawful directives, determination, decision or finding of the commission.
(5) A person who commits an offence under subsection (4) of this section is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 6 months or to a fine of N1OO,OOO.OO or to both such imprisonment and fine."