Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, in his effort to ensure peace and security in the State, has today sworn in a constituted 7-man Judicial Commission of Enquiry on the recent security challenges in the State which led to the loss of lives and properties.
Inaugurating the committee at the New Executive Chambers, Government House, Owerri, yesterday, Uzodimma charged them to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the security breaches, make recommendations to the government, and ensure that the perpetrators are unmasked and made to face the consequences of their action.
He regretted that the breaches brought untold hardship on Imo people, as life and property were lost. He said it would be ideal to document what happened, why it happened and how it happened, to stall future occurrence.
He urged the commission members to detach themselves from sentiments and carry out the assignment with every sense of responsibility and fear of God.
He said: “Everyone in the state was a witness to the savagery and cannibalistic brutality, which defined the regime of violence and criminality that enveloped the state for months in recent past.
“It was clear from the ruthless efficiency of these daredevil security breaches that they were coordinated and sponsored. Imo people are eager to know how and why these unusual security breaches occurred and how they can be prevented in the future.”
He added: “No responsible government will simply sweep under the carpet an unusual and monumental insecurity situation that led to the loss of life and property and just move on. This will be the height of insincerity to the feelings and frustrations of our people who were and still are clearly rattled by such unusual reign of beastly criminality.”
“You have to know where the rain started beating you before being able to curtail it. To this end, the task before your commission is to get to the very roots of what caused the massive insecurity we witnessed.”
The Commission, headed by Hon. Justice Ezeohiri Njemanze has been charged to conduct an inquest to the activities that culminated into the incident including the roles or otherwise played by any suspect.
According to the Governor “Ndi Imo desire, a thorough investigation into this incident and I believe that this Commission would discharge their assigned duties, within the ambit of the law, to the satisfaction of Imolites”.
Hon. Justice Ezeohiri who spoke on behalf of the committee commended the Governor on the bold step and promised to make Ndi Imo proud.