The Rivers State Commission of Inquiry probe into the pre electoral violence committed in the state continued today.
The Commission was directed by current Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi to investigate the violence which occurred in the state during the weeks before the first vote was cast.
Rivers Pre electoral violence
Thirteen witnesses were called on to bear their testimonies on what occurred during the campaign trail.
One witness, 69 year-old APC community worker, George Oreremie explained that on January 10th, 2015 he and 15 others men were attacked by unidentified men with cutlasses.
George, who was at Rumueme community, having a meeting with the 15 other were threatened and cut with knives, He said: “they came in, they started shouting ‘We don’t need APC in this Rumueme community. All of you here are APC and you will all die today.'”
“The next thing they start cutting us with cutlasses and weapons. They used cutlass on me and cut my head. I’ve never seen them and I don’t know them. I’m not from the community so I don’t know anyone.”
He explained that he was admitted into the hospital and spent there, roughly ten days.
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He however could not identify any of his assailants.
When questioned by the commission what he wants the panel to do, he said: “If they (the Commission) can give me a small contract to survive with… (He laughs). It’s the purpose why we came.”
Another set of witnesses, the Orikwowu family, came to lament about the murder of their bread-winner, Clever Orikwowu, an APC leader at ONELGA.
Clever left behind, a brother(Isaac), Wife (Ruth) and seven kids ranging from 19 till 11 months, who were all present at the probing.
They testified that Clever was killed on the day of the governorship election, Isaac said: “What we gathered that armed men came and laid down everybody.”
Ruth Orikwowu and kids
The wife Ruth cried out and said that her husband, an APC youth leader was escorted out of his polling unit by men dressed in military clothes and she never saw him again.
She said: “In my own unit, I went to ease myself, when I came back, they said some people came in military fatique and told people to lie down.
“They came and carried my husband.”
“They came and carried my husband.”
She cried out for financial help from the commission, insisting that her husband had served the Rivers State government well.
She said: “Please look at me. Seven children without a father. I am 41 years old, without anything.
“My husband served Rivers State government very well. So I’m pleading with this honourable court to assist. The house he was building he couldn’t finish. We live in an uncompleted building.”
The deceased son told the panel, that he would like to continue his studies, having just passed his WAEC and would love to be an engineer.
Rivers state had witnessed the bulk of the violence in Southern Nigeria, due to the immense war of words between current governor-elect Nyesom wike (PDP) and current governor, Rotimi Amaechi (APC).
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