Fubara inaugurates judicial commission on arson, killings in Rivers

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the arson, killings, and destruction of property at various local government council headquarters in the state.

Fubara inaugurated the seven-member commission at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

The commission is led by Justice Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri as Chairman; Mrs. Inyingi Brown as the Secretary; and Barrister Uzor Ikenga as the Counsel.

Other members are Barrister Felicia Nwoke; Prof. Blessing Didia; Sir Samuel Egbe and Venerable Alex Usifor.

The commission has one month to conclude its assignment.

The Governor said the recent attacks and burning of Local Government Councils’ Secretariats on the 7th October, 2024, seemed like a repeat of 2014, months 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.

Fubara said his administration will not look away while ill-guided youths and sponsored political thugs turn the State into a theatre of violence without being made to pay for such crimes against the State.

He said, “So, 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 a very important. It is an assignment that, if it is not done rightly, would give the enemies of this State 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.”

Fubara stated that it is long overdue to inaugurate the commission of inquiry owing to incidents that have been witnessed since his administration came on board.

He explained that sometime in the past, about October, 2023, a similar incident was experienced, and because he had thought that everybody was of the same political family, he decided to let go.

He added that the persistence of the violence and differences between people who once had worked together have seemingly destroyed chances of settling any crisis internally.