Dec. 10 rerun: RSG to submit report of judicial commission to IGP

The Rivers State government is to submit the white paper on the report by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that investigated the killings and other acts of violence during the December 10, 2016, rerun/supplementary legislative elections to the Inspector-General of Police for necessary action.

Governor Nyesom Wike who declared this emphasised that he was aware that the current Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, would not act on the report, but stated that the police as an institution would eventually perform their constitutional role as Ibrahim Idris would not be Inspector-General forever.

Speaking on Monday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, after the submission of the report by the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, the governor said that the report would be considered by the State Executive Council, EXCO, and a white paper duly prepared.

He commended the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for a painstaking and thorough report which included videos, testimonies and relevant accounts of everything that transpired during the elections.

The governor said: “I, hereby, direct the Honourable Attorney General of the state to submit the report to the Inspector General of Police. I am aware that the Inspector General of Police would not act on the report, but we need to take the necessary step. The current IGP will not be IGP forever. Therefore the Police as an institution, in the long run, will act.”

He said that the members of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry diligently worked to ensure that the right thing was done.

In his speech while submitting the report, the Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Nwogu, said that the commission received 13 memoranda, several exhibits including expended bullets, and also went to the respective locations to gather evidence.

Justice Nwogu informed that the report of the commission was contained in four volumes which captured all aspects of the Commission’s assignment and noted that the recommendations were made in line with the terms of reference of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry and with due respect to the law and good conscience.