Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, has inaugurated a seven-member panel to investigate the recent killings and destruction of property at local government secretariats in the state.
The panel was inaugurated on Tuesday, October 8, at the executive chamber of the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Governor Fubara, addressing the panel, vowed that his administration would not allow “ill-guided youths and sponsored political thugs” to turn Rivers into a hub of violence without facing consequences. He tasked the panel with uncovering the root causes of the violence and identifying those responsible for the attacks on the secretariats.
“So, I have decided to take this action to find out the immediate and remote causes of this arson,” Fubara said. “Most importantly, no matter the personalities involved, we must bring them to book.”
The governor underscored the importance of the panel’s work, stating that a proper investigation would prevent future violence. “If we are right, it is going to be the end of further destruction of public property in the state,” he said. He also acknowledged the challenges the panel may face, including potential threats, but urged them to remain strong.
The panel, chaired by Judge Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri, includes six other members: Inyingi Brown (secretary), Uzor Ikenga (counsellor), Felicia Nwoke, Blessing Didia, Samuel Egbe, and Venerable Alex Usifor. They are expected to submit their report within one month.
The panel’s inauguration follows a spate of violence on Monday, during which hoodlums set fire to sections of three LGA secretariats in Emohua, Eleme, and Ikwerre, reportedly killing five people in an attempt to prevent elected officials from resuming their duties.
This violence comes in the wake of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) elections, held on Saturday, October 5, which filled 23 chairmanships and 319 councillorship seats. The Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 of the LGAs, while the Action Alliance (AA) secured one.
The LGA elections were marked by controversy, with conflicting court orders and resistance from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Despite a federal high court ruling in Abuja barring security agencies from providing support for the election, Governor Fubara pressed ahead with the vote.
The panel’s findings are expected to address both the violence and the legal controversies that have surrounded the elections.