Rivers rerun: Wike inaugurates commission of inquiry

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike shakes hand with the chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate killings during the rerun elections, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu at the Government House Port Harcourt on Thursday

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Killings/Violence that attended the Rerun/supplementary elections on December 10, 2016, in the state.

Inaugurating the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Thursday 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.

He said: “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 called on members of the commission to stand by the truth and be courageous in the discharge of their assignment.

The commission was given the mandate to 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 during the elections and identify the victims of the violence including those killed.

The commission will also identify if property was damaged and the value of any such property and determine if the violence was localised to specific areas within the state or was state-wide.

It is expected to submit its findings and recommendations to the state governor within one month.

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.