Fubara inaugurates seven-member panel to probe killings, destruction at Rivers LG HQs

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, has inaugurated a seven-member panel to investigate killings and destruction of property at some local government secretariats in the state.

Fubara inaugurated the panel on Tuesday at the executive chamber of the government house in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The Rivers governor said his administration will not allow “ill-guided youths and sponsored political thugs” to turn the state into a theatre of violence without consequences.

Fubara asked the panel to identify the underlying causes of the violence and individuals responsible for the attacks on LGA secretariats in the state.

“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,” Fubara said.

“This assignment is very important. It is an assignment that, if not done rightly, would give the enemies of this state another 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.”

The panel will be chaired by Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri, a judge. Other members are Inyingi Brown (secretary), Uzor Ikenga (counselor), Felicia Nwoke, Blessing Didia, Samuel Egbe, and Venerable Alex Usifor.

The panel is expected to submit its report within one month.

THE VIOLENCE

On Monday, hoodlums razed sections of three LGA secretariats in Rivers — Emohua, Eleme and Ikwerre — to prevent the elected officials from resuming their duties.

Five people were reportedly killed during the violence that occurred at some LGA secretariats.

On Saturday, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted elections into 23 chairmanship and 319 councillorship seats in the state.

The Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 LGAs in the election, while the Action Alliance (AA) was victorious in one LGA.

The build-up to the Rivers LGA elections was characterised by controversy, which was exacerbated by conflicting court orders and pushback from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On September 4, a high court in Rivers state held that RSIEC could conduct the LGA elections using the 2023 voter register.

But on September 30, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register to RSIEC.

The court also barred the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the elections.

Despite the federal high court ruling and the withdrawal of security personnel, Fubara said the election would proceed as planned.