Governor of Rivers State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has inaugurated a 9-man Commission of Enquiry on politically motivated killings in the state. The Chairman of the panel is Prof Chidi Odinkalu while the secretary is Sir Samuel Egbe. Other members are: Prof Nlerum Okogbule, Prof Owunari A. Georgewill, Dr. Richard Ofuru, Mrs. Asivosuo M. Oriye, Dr. Joy Ejiofor, Mrs. Ayo M. O. Obe and Rev. Father Michael Akiri. At the inauguration yesterday which took place at the Government House, Amaechi stated the probe panel would complete its assignment within 30 days. The governor explained that the panel would investigate why victims of violence were killed, who killed them, and under what circumstances. He urged the commission to make recommendations that would assist the government to forestall a future recurrence. Amaechi said: "When I visited Obirikom, in the Ogba-Egbeme-Ndoni Local Government Area, in the household of the late Chief Christopher Adube, nine persons were killed by assassins. Those killed were his three children, his younger brother, two security guards and two others. Two of the late Chief Adube's children are still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital. "There was a day I was arguing with the police commissioner, now posted to Enugu. I stated I was told 11 persons had been killed. He said: ‘No, only seven persons.’ Again, in the same Omoku, whether it is seven or 11 persons, these are human lives. "At Okrika, when the All Progressives Congress (APC) went there on campaign, where the governorship candidate of APC was seated, he would have been hit by a bullet. But God saved him; he had left that place. It was the first day APC went on campaigns in Okirika, and the police were present…"
