Rivers Rerun: Military Responsible For Tai Killing -PDP

About 45 members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, last Monday told the State Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the killings and other violent acts that occurred during the December 10, 2016 legislative re-run elections that military officials posted for electoral duty in the LGA were responsible for the killing of late Mr. Donwi Ikpe, a member of the party during the elections in the area.
The group made this allegation in a petition they sent to the commission through their counsel, Mr. M.N. Munam against the Nigerian Army, one Mr. Williams Nalam (alisa Pastor) and a member of Federal House of Representative, representing Tai/Eleme Federal Constituency, Hon. Barry Mpigi, alleging that they masterminded the killing of their member and other crisis that occurred in the area during the elections.
Testifying before the 5-member panel, the representatives of the group, Mr. Leknu Ngbar and Frank Kpite, further alleged that the military officials in collaboration with some thugs who were masked tormented their party members, adding that properties and other valuables belonging to PDP members in the area were destroyed during the elections.
The duo, who were docked at the witness box for 45 minutes, narrated their ordeal in the hands of the military men, adding that they were tortured, humiliated as well as abducted forcefully to the House of Hon. Barry Mpigi throughout the hours of elections.
According to them, trouble started when PDP members in the LGA embarked on a peaceful protest to the INEC office in Saakpenwa to urge the commission to comply with the court order by ensuring that elections were conducted in all the units and wards in the area rather than the six units as announced.
“While we were returning from Saakpenwa after the rally, we saw two Hilux vans loaded with armed men on military uniforms, they stopped us and began to beat us and whisked us to Barry Mpigi’s house.
In the process, they shot our late member”, they stated.
The petitioners further told the commission that a 18 seater bus belonging to one of them which was used to convey their members to the rally was destroyed beyond repairs by the military officials who intercepted them.
They, however, appealed to the commission to ensure that justice was done in the matter as well as take necessary steps that would ameliorate their sufferings and compensate their losses during the elections.
In his submission, Counsel to the Commission, Mr. C.B. Ekeh, informed the panel that the accused persons were properly summoned and invited to appear before the commission either in person or through legal representation, adding that the commission acted in accordance with Section 7 Sub C of the State Commission of Inquery Law to summon the affected persons.
Those invited to appear before the panel include Hon. Barry Mpigi, Mr. Williams Nalam (aka Pastor) and the Commander, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt.
However, all the accused persons did not appear either in person or through legal representation.
Earlier, the Chairman of the State commission of inquiry, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu had said that the commission was a fact-finding body and was not constituted to witch hunt anybody or group of persons.
Justice Nwogu stated this while delivering his inaugural address to commence the sitting of the commission last Monday at the Judiciary Complex in Port Harcourt, adding that the Commission was inaugurated on the 22nd of December, 2016, by the Governor of the State, Chief Nyesom Wike in exercise of his powers pursuant to Section 2(1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law of Rivers State (Cap 30) laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999 and all other powers enabling him in that behalf.
According to him, the commission’s terms of reference include, among other things, to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the violence during the December 10, 2016 re-run/supplementary elections in the state, identify the perpetrators of the various acts of violence and killings in the aforesaid election as well as identify the victims of the violence including those killed, etc.
He assured that they would adopt all known principles of fair hearing, equity and good conscience in course of its public sitting, adding that equal opportunities would be given to all persons who appear before it to state their cases as well as tender all relevant documents that would assist the commission in its findings and recommendations.