Rivers state governor inauguratess panel to look into politically motivated killings

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Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers state governor, has inaugurated a nine-man panel to look into the politically motivated killings associated with the general elections in the state.

wpid-rotimi-amaechi.jpgAccording to reports, members of the commission include; Professor Chidi Odin-Kalu as Chairman,who is also Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Sir Samuel Egbe, Secretary and Professor Nlerum Okogbule. Others are; Professor Owunari A. Georgewill, Dr. Richard Ofuru, Mrs. Asivosuo M. Oriye, Dr. Joy Ejiofor, Mrs. Ayo M. O. Obe, and Rev. Father Michael Akiri as members.

Amaechi, while inaugurating the committee at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, congratulated the members and said the fact-finding exercise will last for 30 days.

He explained that the reason for setting up the commission was to investigate why the victims were killed, who killed them, under what circumstances and for the commission to make useful recommendations that will help government forestall future occurrences.

?When I visited Obirikom in the Ogba-Egbeme-Ndoni local government area, the household of one late chief Christopher Adube, nine persons were killed by assassins. Those killed were his three children, his younger brother, two gatemen, and two other persons, while two of the late Chief Adube?s children are still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital?.

The Governor said there was a day he was arguing with the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State,Dan Bature, now posted to Enugu and I told him that 11 persons had been killed, he said, ?no, only 7 persons.? Again, in the same Omoku, whether it is 7 or 11 persons, these are human lives.

Governor Amaechi stated further that at Okrika, when APC went on campaign, where the guber candidate of APC was seated, he would have been hit by a bullet, but, God saved him he had left that place earlier and the police were present.

?The day I was driving to my village on March 28 for the Presidential election, I saw a corpse at the median of the road, I called the Commissioner of Police, ?Mr. Karma, I have seen a corpse here, please, look for a way to take away the corpse and find out who did this,? but, he did not. Whether the corpse is still there or not, I have no idea. When I got to the village called Omuanwa, on that election day, young boys were shooting sporadically at innocent people and when they saw us, they ran into the bush. Then I came down and met somebody they have shot that is severely injured, we have to put him in a vehicle to rush him to the hospital,? Amaechi said.

Governor Amaechi maintained that those behind the killings were allowed to carry out the mayhem because of the existence of impunity in the state, and called on the commission to recommend appropriate punishment for the offenders.

?The reason for the killings was impunity in the state. Total impunity! I believe as a Governor, if you don?t punish those who break the law, then human beings will no longer be protected. People were not allowed to carry out their civic obligation and responsibilities, just because they are desperate to take over power.

Reports says that the Governor informed the panel that there would be threats, but its duty as a commission is to overcome these threats, assuring the members would be under the custody of the state and the commissioner of Police would be informed to provide adequate security for them to discharge their duties uninterrupted.

 

Source: Global Village Extras

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