Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has established a seven-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe arson, deaths, and property destruction at several Local Government Council headquarters across the state.
Nelson Chukwudi, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, issued a statement on Tuesday.
Fubara launched the committee on Tuesday at Government House’s Executive Chambers in Port Harcourt.
Justice Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri chairs the panel, which has one month to complete its work. Mrs. Inyingi Brown serves as secretary, while Uzor Ikenga is counsel.
The other members are Felicia Nwoke, Prof. Blessing Didia, Sir Samuel Egbe, and Venerable Alex Usifor.
Fubara stated that the burning of Local Government Council secretariats on Monday appeared to be a replay of 2014, during the run-up to the 2015 General Elections, when courts were set on fire, residences were bombed, and people were killed, forcing the closure of courts in Rivers State.
Fubara went on to say that his administration would not stand by while misguided youngsters and sponsored political thugs turned the state into a theatre of bloodshed without being held accountable for their crimes against the state.
“So, this assignment is very important. It is an assignment that, if not done rightly, would give the enemies of this state the opportunity to continue.
“And if we are right, it is going to be the end of further destruction of public property in the state. I know it is going to be very tasking. I can assure you that there will be threats, but you have to be strong,” he told the members of the commission.
Fubara stated that it was long overdue to inaugurate the commission of inquiry following incidents since his administration came on board.
Fubara stated, “It has become very clear that rather than getting close to the path of peace, this state is gradually turning into a kingdom where law and order is no longer the order of the day. And we cannot fold our hands and allow such things to happen.
“On the 5th of October, 2024, about four days ago, we had an election in this state. Before the election, we also heard from a lot of quarters, songs of war, and threats, but we never took them seriously because we believed that a local government election is a prerogative of the state government. It has nothing to do with anybody anywhere that is outside the confinement of our state.
“And for that reason, we believed strongly that whatever it is, we could manage it to produce the purpose of that election. But it is very unfortunate that after the election, even while the election was going on, several things happened, which we managed, thinking it was going to end there.
“The day after the election, there were more threats from people, and we also thought it was just a normal threat, believing that it was not going to be out of hand, but it did.”
Fubara urged commission members to focus on the assignment’s purpose, emphasising the importance of determining the root causes of violence and identifying those responsible for attacks on Local Government Council Headquarters and harm to citizens.
“Evaluate the extent of damage to property, infrastructure, and human lives and estimate the financial losses incurred.
“Examine whether the violence was politically motivated, and if so, identify the key players and their roles in instigating the violence.
“Assess the effectiveness of the security agencies’ response to the violence and identify areas for improvement.
“Investigate the actions of individuals and groups involved in the violence in the face of the relevant laws, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, etc.
“Advise on adequate compensation and support for victims and their families, as well as measures to prevent future occurrences.
“Make recommendations on long-term strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future, including recommendations for policy reforms, community engagement, and conflict resolution mechanisms.
“Recommend appropriate sanctions for individuals and groups found culpable.
“Make other relevant recommendations in light of its findings, which the commission may consider appropriate,” and also mandated the commission to submit its report within “one month.”
