By Musa Isa Ahmed
Judicial Commission of Enquiry inaugurated to unravel circumstances surrounding violent clash in Tingno and other villages in Lamurde Local Government Area, Adamawa State has commenced proceedings.
The Commission of Enquiry was inaugurated by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri on the 28th May, 2020 with about 10 terms of reference for investigation.
According to the Commission headed by Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, it has so far received about 4 memoranda, and however requested for more memoranda as well as oral evidence from the interested parties.
Speaking during the inaugural sitting of the Commission at the High Court complex in Yola, the Adamawa state capital today, the Chairperson of the Commission, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahaman, said that the Commission will be sitting from Mondays to Saturdays with the exception of Sundays and public holidays.
The time of the sitting according to her, shall be 10:00am daily, and that because of the dreaded Covid -19 pandemic, they shall restrict admittance of the general public into the sitting hall.
Justice Hafsat added that the restriction is in accordance to National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)’s rules and regulations, and said that the security personnel are expected to enforce it strictly.
She stated that the Commission is expected to investigate and determine the remote and immediate causes that led to the violent clash in Tingno and other villages on the 15th May, 2020, as well as establish the persons responsible for it and the role each person played.
He added that the Commission will also investigate and determine the role played by security agents before and during the clash, and whether or not the clash could have been averted.
The Commission, according to her, is equally expected to investigate and determine the persons directly or indirectly responsible for the loss of lives and property, cost implication, number of people injured and deaths recorded during the incident.
She explained that her Commission will investigate whether or not the persons responsible for the loss of lives and property and injuries have been arrested for prosecution in the court of law, and that it will recommend for the arrest of those responsible and not yet apprehended.
After investigation, she posited that the Commission will suggest to the government on the kind of assistance to be rendered to the relatives of those who lost their lives and persons who lost their property.
She disclosed that the Commission will make recommendations on measures to be taken to forestall future occurrence of such ugly incidence.
Justice Hafsat Abdulrahaman thanked Governor Fintiri for finding them worthy to undertake the onerous tasks, and solicited the cooperation of all sundry particularly the stakeholders.
The Panel has Justice Hafsat Abdulrahaman as Chairperson, and Barr. Yakubu Sambo, Barr. Akanmode Abayomi, Barr. Aji Kamale and Professor Kaleb B. Filli as members, while Barr. Aliyu Dauda Mohammed as Secretary of the commission
