Rivers Commission of Inquiry Discovers 94 Cases of Politically Motivated Killings

The Commission of Inquiry into violence in Rivers State said there was a monthly average of 19 killings in Rivers between November 2014 and April 2015.

The chairman of the commission, Prof Chidi Odinkalu said this at the presentation of his findings to the Rivers State Government.

 He said that out of the 97 allegations of killing, 94 cases where confirmed by his commission.

Odinkalu said: “in that period we recorded 94 killings which is an average of 19 killings per month. They reported to us 93 cases of injuries of which 81 occurred during the election period. There were 83 incidents of destruction of property. 77 of which occurred during the election period. Now 275 different violations were reported and examined. 

He also said several of the victims of the killing suffered serious psychological and physical pains.

“we met a young woman she was married at 18 and her husband was shot in her presence. She is a widow. We have mothers who buried their children, blasted through the nose by people acting in the name of politics. That’s not politics. And it’s immaterial on whose side it’s done. As a state we need to say this kind of thing should not happen,” he added.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Emmanuel Chinda, received the report of the commission on behalf of the state government.

He assured that a white paper would be issued on the findings.

“The governor has therefore directed that all the findings that are contained in this report will be made public and activated through a white paper and as soon as possible. The governor has also directed that everybody who has committed one form of crime or the other in the course of your findings or as a result of your finding will not just walk away free. The person has to face the music through the legal systems through the court,” Chinda said.

The six member of the commission began its work in Port Harcourt on 17 April, 2015 after its inauguration.