Fubara forms a seven-person panel to look into the destruction and k!llings at the Rivers LG headquarters

A seven-member panel has been established by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to look into the recent deaths and property destruction at local government secretariats in the state.

On Tuesday, October 8, the panel was officially opened at the executive chamber of Government House in Port Harcourt.

Speaking to the panel, Governor Fubara promised that his administration would not stand by and let “ill-guided youths and sponsored political thugs” turn Rivers into a hotbed of violence. He gave the panel the assignment of determining the underlying reasons for the violence and locating the perpetrators of the secretariat attacks.

Fubara stated, “I have therefore chosen to take this action in order to ascertain the immediate and distant causes of this arson.” Above all, regardless of the personalities, we must bring them to book.”

The governor emphasized the significance of the panel’s work, saying that further violence will be avoided with a thorough inquiry. He declared, “If we are correct, this will be the last instance of public property being destroyed in the state.” He also advised the panel to maintain their strength despite acknowledging the difficulties they could encounter, including possible threats.

Six further members make up the panel, which is presided over by Judge Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri: Venerable Alex Usifor, Felicia Nwoke, Samuel Egbe, Blessing Didia, and Inyingi Brown, the secretary. It is anticipated that they will turn in their report in a month.

The panel’s establishment comes after a wave of violence on Monday that left five people reportedly dead after vandals set fire to portions of three LGA secretariats in Emohua, Eleme, and Ikwerre.

Following the Saturday, October 5, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) elections, which filled 319 council seats and 23 chairmanships, there has been violence. Of the LGAs, the Action Alliance (AA) won one and the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22.

Controversial court rulings and opposition from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) characterized the LGA elections. Governor Fubara went ahead with the voting despite an Abuja federal high court decision prohibiting security agencies from supporting the election.

It is anticipated that the panel’s conclusions will touch on the legal disputes as well as the violence that have surrounding the elections.