premiumtimesng.com
The River State Commission of Inquiry probing politically-motivated killings in the state sitting in Port Harcourt enters its final day today.
The Commission, instituted by Rotimi Amaechi, the Rivers State governor, is also investigating damage to properties and grievous bodily harms to persons ahead and during the presidential and gubernatorial elections in the state.
Various groups in the state are expected to testify before the panel today.
On Friday, the Commission took evidence from 15 witnesses, including four who were forced to testify ‘in-camera’ for their safety.
As was the case in previous proceedings, today’s witnesses are expected to testify on claims of arson, assault, and killings before the Commission.
PREMIUM TIMES will be bringing you live updates from the venue of the proceedings in Port Harcourt.
LIVE BLOG
13.47
The second witness, Awola Briggs, is testifying.
He says he is a civil servant from Akoku-Toru local government area.
He tenders a photograph of the corpse of his nephew who was killed. He also tenders a photograph of the cult leader who instructed his boys to kill his nephew.
He says he was not present when the cult leader gave the order.
"Why I have the confidence to say that is that he was even boasting that he did and some of my relations who heard it and told me."
Counsel to the Commission, Mrs. Oriye, asks the panel to discharge the witness because most of his evidences were from hearsay.
The panel turns down the request.
The witness tenders a copy of the autopsy report showing the cause of death of his nephew.
He says he wants the Commission to assist the deceased's family and bring the perpetrators to book.
He says the deceased, 25 years old, was a bricklayer.
He says the his nephew's is over 80 years old.
He says he was told his nephew was taken to a waterside and was beaten with iron rods and cutlass.
He says he belongs to the APC, and so did his late nephew.
He says the nephew's murder was politically-motivated because PDP supporters intended to kill "staunch supporters" of APC.
13.44
Mr. Jack says the cult groups were hired by the PDP as thugs.
"If you were in Abonema that day, everybody was running for their dear lives."
He says his party stands for 'change' and will not hire a cult group.
The Commission is pressing the council boss to explain the meaning of 'boys' in his statement.
Mr. Jack, obviously reluctant to continue the discussion of the cult groups, responds: "This memorandum was prepared by a team. I sit here as council chairman and head of security. I may not be disposed to some of the things mentioned."
Mr. Odinkalu: "Mr. Chairman, who is a boy?"
Mr. Jack: "In a political scenario, they call 'boys.' It can be people in a political party. That's what they call 'boys."
He says it's possible for cult groups to co-habit even within one political party.
He says the cultists live among the people in his local government.
He says he would not want to say if the people in the community know the cultists and where they live.
He says Governor Amaechi was able to curtail the activities of the cult groups.
He says creating jobs for the youth would take them away from cult activities.
He says he is a "believer" with "faith in God" and, therefore, does not have 'boys.'
He says after the attack on the DPO at the polling station, Mr. Kayode, he was taken to the hospital for treatment.
13.01
Mr. Jack says the attacks were reported to the police but they did not act. "And that's why we are here."
He says the attacked member was taken to Abonema General Hospital for treatment.
He asks the Commission to investigate the attacks and to recommend solution to a lasting peace in Akoku-Toru local government.
He says the attackers also boasted by saying that Dr. Danagogo (Minister of Sports), Roland Sekibo, and others were their sponsors
"In my capacity as the leader of the party (APC) in my local government, all these things were reported to me," says Mr. Jack.
"And as council chairman, I witnessed some of these acts.
"Before the election, we uncovered a plot by the PDP to consistently use the police to intimidate and arrest staunch members of the APC and detain them before the election on trumped up charges."
Mr. Jack says those arrested, including Diepriye Briggs and Christian Don-Pedro, were released "immediately after" the election.
He says the arrests on trumped-up charges was a state-wide incident.
He says the Commissioner for Urban Development and the DPO of Abonema (who was escorting him) were beaten up at the polling unit.
He says the previous DPO was changed at around midnight and so the attackers did not know he was the DPO.
"They thought the DPO was escorting the Commissioner as his aide, they didn't know he was the DPO."
He says he doesn't have the "statistics" as to the number of non-APC members who also suffered violence during the election.
"From my observation as someone who was present in my local government, it is not possible that a member of any other party suffered violence."
He says before the election, he set up a curfew where security forces were supposed to take charge but they refused to enforce it.
The Commission is grilling Mr. Jack on why he's testifying as the leader of the APC in his local government and not as the leader of the entire local government.
Mr. Odinkalu, the Chairman of the Commission, tells him: "You are not the leader of APC local government. You are the leader of all the parties in Akoku-Toru."
Mr. Jack defends his actions by insisting that he had always played a neutral role in discharging his duties in the council.
"Before the election, like I said, what I did was to seek for a curfew in order to protect everybody."
He says he needs to consult his Chief Security Officer to know the names of the cult groups in his local government.
He then says there are Icelanders, Greenlanders, Deewell, Deebam.
He says the cult group had been in existence for over five years.
12.28
The first witness today is Fenibo Jack from Abonema in Akuku-Toru local government area.
He says he is the Executive Chairman of the local government.
He says there were destruction of their billboards and attacks on their party properties and offices.
The witness is taking a lot of time sorting out photographs of the destroyed properties and offices and injured members of his party, the All Progressives Congress.
13.47
The second witness, Awola Briggs, is testifying.
He says he is a civil servant from Akoku-Toru local government area.
He tenders a photograph of the corpse of his nephew who was killed. He also tenders a photograph of the cult leader who instructed his boys to kill his nephew.
He says he was not present when the cult leader gave the order.
"Why I have the confidence to say that is that he was even boasting that he did and some of my relations who heard it and told me."
Counsel to the Commission, Mrs. Oriye, asks the panel to discharge the witness because most of his evidences were from hearsay.
The panel turns down the request.
The witness tenders a copy of the autopsy report showing the cause of death of his nephew.
He says he wants the Commission to assist the deceased's family and bring the perpetrators to book.
He says the deceased, 25 years old, was a bricklayer.
He says the his nephew's is over 80 years old.
He says he was told his nephew was taken to a waterside and was beaten with iron rods and cutlass.
He says he belongs to the APC, and so did his late nephew.
He says the nephew's murder was politically-motivated because PDP supporters intended to kill "staunch supporters" of APC.
13.44
Mr. Jack says the cult groups were hired by the PDP as thugs.
"If you were in Abonema that day, everybody was running for their dear lives."
He says his party stands for 'change' and will not hire a cult group.
The Commission is pressing the council boss to explain the meaning of 'boys' in his statement.
Mr. Jack, obviously reluctant to continue the discussion of the cult groups, responds: "This memorandum was prepared by a team. I sit here as council chairman and head of security. I may not be disposed to some of the things mentioned."
Mr. Odinkalu: "Mr. Chairman, who is a boy?"
Mr. Jack: "In a political scenario, they call 'boys.' It can be people in a political party. That's what they call 'boys."
He says it's possible for cult groups to co-habit even within one political party.
He says the cultists live among the people in his local government.
He says he would not want to say if the people in the community know the cultists and where they live.
He says Governor Amaechi was able to curtail the activities of the cult groups.
He says creating jobs for the youth would take them away from cult activities.
He says he is a "believer" with "faith in God" and, therefore, does not have 'boys.'
He says after the attack on the DPO at the polling station, Mr. Kayode, he was taken to the hospital for treatment.
13.01
Mr. Jack says the attacks were reported to the police but they did not act. "And that's why we are here."
He says the attacked member was taken to Abonema General Hospital for treatment.
He asks the Commission to investigate the attacks and to recommend solution to a lasting peace in Akoku-Toru local government.
He says the attackers also boasted by saying that Dr. Danagogo (Minister of Sports), Roland Sekibo, and others were their sponsors
"In my capacity as the leader of the party (APC) in my local government, all these things were reported to me," says Mr. Jack.
"And as council chairman, I witnessed some of these acts.
"Before the election, we uncovered a plot by the PDP to consistently use the police to intimidate and arrest staunch members of the APC and detain them before the election on trumped up charges."
Mr. Jack says those arrested, including Diepriye Briggs and Christian Don-Pedro, were released "immediately after" the election.
He says the arrests on trumped-up charges was a state-wide incident.
He says the Commissioner for Urban Development and the DPO of Abonema (who was escorting him) were beaten up at the polling unit.
He says the previous DPO was changed at around midnight and so the attackers did not know he was the DPO.
"They thought the DPO was escorting the Commissioner as his aide, they didn't know he was the DPO."
He says he doesn't have the "statistics" as to the number of non-APC members who also suffered violence during the election.
"From my observation as someone who was present in my local government, it is not possible that a member of any other party suffered violence."
He says before the election, he set up a curfew where security forces were supposed to take charge but they refused to enforce it.
The Commission is grilling Mr. Jack on why he's testifying as the leader of the APC in his local government and not as the leader of the entire local government.
Mr. Odinkalu, the Chairman of the Commission, tells him: "You are not the leader of APC local government. You are the leader of all the parties in Akoku-Toru."
Mr. Jack defends his actions by insisting that he had always played a neutral role in discharging his duties in the council.
"Before the election, like I said, what I did was to seek for a curfew in order to protect everybody."
He says he needs to consult his Chief Security Officer to know the names of the cult groups in his local government.
He then says there are Icelanders, Greenlanders, Deewell, Deebam.
He says the cult group had been in existence for over five years.
12.28
The first witness today is Fenibo Jack from Abonema in Akuku-Toru local government area.
He says he is the Executive Chairman of the local government.
He says there were destruction of their billboards and attacks on their party properties and offices.
The witness is taking a lot of time sorting out photographs of the destroyed properties and offices and injured members of his party, the All Progressives Congress.
No comments:
Post a Comment