Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has inaugurated a seven-man Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the arson, killings and destruction of property at various Local Government Council Headquarters in the state.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, on Tuesday.
Fubara inaugurated the commission at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The commission, which has one month to conclude its assignment, has Justice Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri as chairman, Mrs. Inyingi Brown as secretary and Uzor Ikenga as counsel.
The other members are Felicia Nwoke, Prof. Blessing Didia, Sir Samuel Egbe and Venerable Alex Usifor.
The Governor said the burning of Local Government Councils’ secretariats on Monday seemed like a repeat of 2014, during the buildup to the General Elections of 2015, when courts were set ablaze, residences bombed and people killed, leading to the closure of courts in Rivers State.
He added that his administration would not look away while ill-guided youths and sponsored political thugs turned the state into a theatre of violence without being made to pay for such crimes against the state.
He said, “I have decided to take this action to find out the immediate and remote causes of this arson, most importantly, no matter the personalities involved, we must bring them to book.
“So, this assignment is very important. It is an assignment that, if it is 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.
Panel overdue – Fubara
Governor 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 thing 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 members of the commission to work with the mindset of actualising the purpose of the assignment, noting that history would not forget the responsibility given to them.
He also outlined the terms of reference of the assignment, saying that they must “determine the underlying causes of the violence and identify the individuals or groups responsible for the attacks on some Local Government Council Headquarters and the harm caused 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.”
Earlier, Fubara stated that his administration would not watch sponsored political thugs run berserk in the state. He assured that working with the Nigerian Police Force and the Directorate of State Services, measures would be taken to unravel those behind the burning of secretariats at Ikwerre, Emohua and Eleme Local Government Areas.
He gave the assurance while swearing in four new commissioners – Israel Ngbuelu, Evans Bipi, Otamiri Ngubo and Benibo Anabraba – into the Rivers State Executive Council at Government House in Port Harcourt.
He said, “I said it before it happened. I knew because they were unhappy, they would go extra miles to create disaffection in the minds and hearts of the good people of Rivers State.
“We want to also let the people know that what has happened (arson) after the election, we are not going to allow it to go uninvestigated.
“A similar event had happened in this manner before, and after some weeks, some of our supporters were declared wanted in order to turn the story around.
“But this time around, I strongly believe, with the support and cooperation of the Nigerian Police and the Directorate of State Services, we will unravel those behind the assault and make sure that they account for their atrocities.”
Speaking further, the Governor added, “As your leader; the one steering the ship, I assure you I will not mislead anyone of you. I still stand on the path of peace. We have cases of arson in some local government areas.
“But, I appreciate your calmness. I have always maintained that we are going to be the greatest losers, if we meet them force-for-force. We need to go with peace.
“So, I will encourage everyone of you not to follow them with violence. We are carrying a basket of precious eggs in our hands. So, we need to follow them with carefulness and wisdom.”
Wike reacts
However, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Tuesday, FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, accused Fubara of being the mastermind behind the violence that erupted after Saturday’s LG polls.
Wike supported Fubara’s candidacy to succeed him as governor. However, shortly after Fubara took office, the two men found themselves in conflict over control of the state’s political structure.
The crisis between both political heavyweights is viewed as reason for the political divisions and animosity that has plagued the state since Fubara’s emergence as the state’s helmsman.
The battle for the control of the state heightened October last year, culminating in an attempted impeachment of Fubara.
Wike said, “There is no decent person who would say that he wants to support violence and destruction, nor would he say that he does not want to support people living in harmony.
“However, when there is crisis, violence, and instability, it is your responsibility to ask what led to the violence. Our state is becoming one where people do not obey the rule of law.
“You must obey the rule of law. You must obey court judgments; you must not take the law into your own hands. No matter how you view that judgment, the moment you don’t obey the court’s judgment, you are inviting anarchy; you are inviting violence.”
Wike stated that INEC and security agencies adhered to the court judgment, while the governor intentionally chose to disregard it.
He added, “The governor went on television to say the judgment did not state we should not conduct elections. He went as far as to say he does not need security to conduct elections. This means he is inviting violence and hoodlums to take advantage of the situation. So, in that case, who is the perpetrator of that violence? The governor is the architect of the violence. A governor accused the judiciary of being fraudulent and said that this is a fraudulent judgment. He stated he would not obey it and would go ahead with what he has to do. In that case, who is inviting violence?
“I have never seen in my life where people can come out because a judgment did not favour them and say this judgment is fraudulent, attacking the institution. INEC complied with the judgment; the police and DSS were stopped, and they complied with the judgment. We are not in a lawless society.
“I hear people say, let them not derail democracy. But I ask myself, who is derailing democracy? Is it the man who says that law and order and the judgment of the court should not be respected? Is he the one promoting democracy? You cannot support an illegal act.
“If you must conduct an election, you must follow due process. What is the due process? There must be a time when you give notice for the election, and you must publicize it. Have they done that? The judgment is binding on the police, INEC, and DSS because they are federal agencies. So, you cannot go to a state high court in a case involving federal agencies.”
However, ex-Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Diran Odeyemi, linked the political crisis in Rivers to ex-Vice President Abubakar Atiku and Wike.
Odeyemi called on Atiku to not to nurse any ambition of being PDP’s presidential candidate in the next general election, while also urging Wike to pledge his commitment to peace in the opposition PDP.
“The crisis in Rivers State is the micro, while the one at the national level of PDP is the macro. Those supporting Fubara are Atiku’s people, while those against Fubara are Wike’s men,” Odeyemi said.
“For peace to reign in the PDP, Atiku should declare that he doesn’t have interest in the 2027 presidential race and Wike should also declare that he will give peace a chance in the PDP. Failure of the two to agree on these two terms, crisis will continue in PDP. The two of them have to see themselves as leaders and elders in Nigeria.
“For the overall interest of the party and Nigeria, the two of them must come to terms that peace must reign in PDP. The moment PDP leaders are taking sides with the two gladiators, we will continue to have crisis in the party.
The newly deployed Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Mohammed, vowed to “swiftly” restore normalcy in LGs where arson and violence broke out on Tuesday.
Mohammed stated this during his maiden media briefing shortly after taking over from Olatunji Disu at the command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt on Monday.
“My task is to swiftly restore calm in the respective Local Government Areas where pockets of violence and arson attacks have been present,” he said.
“As I assume duty, I wish to make it abundantly clear that my priority is to ensure the safety, security and well-being of all residents and visitors in Rivers State.
“I am aware that Rivers State, being one of the nation’s economic hubs, faces unique security challenges. From incidents of kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, and oil bunkering to communal clashes and violent crimes, and more recently crises emanating from political interests, the complexities of maintaining law and order here require a proactive and strategic approach.”
“A society thrives when there is trust between its institutions and its people, and the press is key to building and maintaining that trust. It is with a sense of duty and responsibility that I take on this new role, knowing the unique challenges and security concerns that Rivers State faces.”
