Rivers rerun: Governor Wike inaugurates judicial commission of inquiry

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Killings/Violence witnessed during the state's legislative rerun/supplementary elections that held on December 10th. Inaugurating the Judicial Commission of Inquiry today at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike charged the commission to find out the number of those killed and who was responsible for their deaths.


He also charged the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to ascertain the names of those who were killed. The governor stated that it is not within the purview of the Commission to investigate how the elections were conducted.

"This Judicial Commission of Inquiry is not to investigate how they conducted their elections. You are to investigate the murders that attended the elections. Those involved in the killings will face the full weight of the law. This government has the capacity to follow through"he said

He called on members of the commission to stand by the truth and be courageous in the discharge of their assignment. Responding, Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu said that the commission would discharge its assignment within the confines of the law.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry has the following terms of reference:

▪Investigate the remote and immediate causes of the violence during the December 10 , 2016 rerun/supplementary elections in Rivers State.
▪Identify the perpetrators of the various acts of violence and killings in the aforesaid election. ▪Identify the victims of the violence including those killed
▪Identify if property was damaged and the value of any such property
▪Determine if the violence was localised to specific areas within the state or was state-wide
▪Make appropriate recommendations concerning their findings or any other òrecommendations as the commission may consider appropriate in the circumstance and ▪Submit its report to the Governor of Rivers State within one (1) month from the date of its sitting.