Gov Fubara vows to punish those who killed and burnt down local council secretariats

…Commission of inquiry submits report

The stage for big clashes seems to be set as Gov Sim Fubara of Rivers State has vowed to punish those found liable to have killed and burnt down council secretariats in the state. Many seem to know where the arrows will head to.
The killings and burning of property took place after the announcement of the local council elections in the state on October 7, 2024.

A commission of inquiry was swiftly set up but the pro-Nyesom Wike camp filed court cases against it, saying it was a witch hunt of opponents. The commission has even urged the governor to ensure implementation. Many reports of commissions usually gather dust in shelves in government offices, but this commission seems to be against it.

Now, Gov Fubara has vowed: “So, I am going to ensure that we put a stop to that level of violence or such unreasonable violence. I call it unreasonable violence because it doesn’t mean anything in politics.

“Politics is a business of interest. There is no permanent friend, no permanent enemy. Some persons who were not even in our support, today, they are here following us because their interest is the most important thing.”

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The governor traced killings in election to 2014 (when the then Chibuike Amaechi-led APC cried out over killings and attacks of 100 listed members around the state) and said it is the same people that killed in 2014 that may have done the present damage, and vowed to put a stop to it.

The commission is called the ‘Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Arson, Killings, and Wanton Destruction of Property’ at some local government council headquarters on or around Monday, October 7, 2024.

Gov Fubara gave the assurance when the seven-member commission, led by the Chairman, Ibiwengi Roseline Minakiri, a justice, submitted four volumes of reports of their investigation and recommendations to him at Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

The Governor declared that his administration will neither tolerate nor allow such level of violence in the State anymore because it is not profitable or productive.

He said, “We are not going to be part of any system that would encourage any destruction in this State. And for that reason, we had to inaugurate this commission so that this commission should look into the remote and immediate causes of this problem.

“And I believe that the recommendations of this commission, with the help of God and the support of everyone, we will make sure that we implement the recommendations.”

Governor Fubara said: “We are going to take it to the next stage. The report will be presented to the Executive Council, and there, we will surely come out with the White paper and with the White Paper, I can assure you, we are going to follow it to the end.

“Nobody is above the law, including me. So, provided what we are doing is within the confines of the law, we will do it with the help of everyone.”

Governor Fubara recalled how, before 2014, a group of persons had run wide recklessly in the State, burning down court buildings.

He noted that it is such persons, who had recently surfaced with their destructive tendencies, and have extended the violence to local government councils, killing people and destroying government property.

Governor Fubara wondered why somebody will spend so much money to build a structure intended to last as legacy of the administration but would eventually be part of its destruction in the name of politics.

Governor Fubara clarified that he has never been part of such destructive politics that continue to set the State backwards and frustrate progressive development strides.

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Governor Fubara said: “I make bold to say it, I have never been and will never be a party to anything that will bring shame, disgrace, or destruction to our dear State.

“It is our State. If it is well with us, it will be well with everybody. As a matter of fact, why should I encourage destruction when I know that when you finish spoiling things, you still need money to rebuild them.

“I am an accountant. I know the importance of how we can manage money. Rather than spoil, you should use that money to do a new thing for the State.”

Governor Fubara vowed: “So, I am going to ensure that we put a stop to that level of violence or such unreasonable violence. I call it unreasonable violence because it doesn’t mean anything in politics.

“Politics is a business of interest. There is no permanent friend, no permanent enemy. Some persons who were not even in our support, today, they are here following us because their interest is the most important thing.

“Likewise tomorrow, if the interest changes, they will also go their different ways. So, why burn down the house?”

Governor Fubara thanked members of the commission for being bold, focused, and accomplishing their task with determination in the face of physical and legal threats.

In her presentation, Chairman of the
seven-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry, said they had put their findings into four volumes, including the recommendations.

Minakiri advised that the recommendations of the report should be studied and implemented so that people can be deterred from such callous acts and the sought-after peace secured for the State.

The Wike camp led by Tony Okocha had publicly opposed the setting up of any commission, daring the governor to go ahead and arrest those he felt committed the offence since he seemed to know them. Okocha said Fubara did not need a commission of inquiry but should make arrests if he knew the offenders. Wike on his own had gone on national television to say that the violence was cause by Fubara for refusing to obey court orders.

Now, the governor says he is ready to act.