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#EndSARS: Rivers Panel Receives 171 Petitions, Pledges Fairness

The Rivers State Commission of Inquiry on Police Brutality, yesterday, revealed that it has so far received a total of 171 petitions from individuals and groups in the state, perhaps, the highest in the country.
The commission was set up by the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in the wake of the #EndSARS protests to probe into alleged acts of violence, torture, brutality, murder and violation of fundamental rights of citizens committed by officers, men and operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in the state.
Addressing the inaugural session, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Chairman of the commission, Hon. Justice Chukwuneye Uriri (rtd) said that the number was the highest to be received by a commission of inquiry in any state.
He stated that the commission was a fact-finding one with a mission to do justice at all times to all manner of persons, irrespective of religion, colour or tribe.
Uriri said: “The panel is a fact-finding one, separate and distinct from regular courts of law but with coordinate responsibility to humanity. It is enjoined by law to make its own rules for effective administration of justice.”
He added: “Our vision is to do justice at all times, to all manner of persons, irrespective of colour, age, religion, culture and tribe, downtrodden or not”.
He disclosed that due to the exigencies of time, the commission would be sitting daily, including Saturdays and Sundays in other to meet the 60 days lifespan of the commission from the first date of sitting.
Uriri, said that the commission would, therefore, take a break only for four days from December 24 to 27.
According to him, the commission’s terms of reference includes, among other things, to ascertain and identify the acts of violence, torture, brutality, murder and violation of fundamental rights of citizens by officers and men of Nigerian Police, especially operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“The commission will also ascertain and identify the officers involved in the act, the motive of the actions as well as the victims in the act by men and officers of Nigerian Police, especially, defunct SARS”.
“The commission will make recommendation to Rivers State Government”, he added.
Addressing journalists after the inaugural sitting, Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, Prince Nyekwere, assured the commission that legal practitioners in the state would assist it achieve the desired result.
He expressed confidence on the calibre of persons appointed into the commission, and assured the NBA’s total cooperation and support to the commission to enable members deliver on their mandate.
Nyekwere urged members of the commission to ensure that they dispensed justice to all and be fair during the process.
He reiterated the promise of the association to provide pro bono legal services to members of the society, who may not have lawyers to represent them during the proceedings.
Nyekwere said: “We are happy that the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up and all of us living in Nigeria know why the commissions of inquiry are being set up in states. It was because of the #EndSARS protest that was organised by Nigerian youths.
“We just hope that the commission of inquiry will give the seriousness that this assignment deserves. As members of the NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, we have promised to partner with them to ensure that their mandate is achieved”.
He opined that the #EndSARS protests in the state and across the country were not only for police brutality but also against bad governance, and regretted that what started as good struggle was later hijacked by enemies of good governance.
By: Amadi Akujobi
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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