Killing of Oruku monarch: Enugu Govt sets up probe panel

By ANAYO OKOLI

Following the December 26, 2020 killing of the monarch of Oruku town, Nkanu East Council, Enugu State, Igwe Emmanuel Mba, allegedly by a police man, and subsequent crisis that engulfed the community, Enugu State government has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the crisis.

The panel is headed by Justice Harold Eya and the terms of reference include to ascertain the number of persons killed or injured, identify persons, group or institutions who either by acts or omissions were directly or indirectly involved in, or sponsored the crisis,  and investigate any other matter(s) that may come to the knowledge of the Panel in the course of the inquiry, not covered in these terms of reference.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, who announced the constitution of the panel, said the panel is empowered to “make recommendations regarding persons whom the Panel finds culpable and/or blameworthy in connection with the crisis and generally make recommendations, in the light of its findings, on how to prevent similar crisis in future and make other recommendations which the panel may consider appropriate in view of its findings”. Prof.  Ortuanya said that the panel was constituted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, pursuant to Section 4(1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap. 24, Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004, because of “the attendant threats of further breakdown of law and order and breach of the peace in the area and in the overriding interest of the public welfare”.

Other members of the panel, which was inaugurated yesterday at the Government House, Enugu, are Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu; Prof. Den Chris Onah; Barr. Anthony Ogbu; Dr. Chinwe Onah; Dr. Godwin Anigbo, who will serve as the Secretary, and Barr. Paschal Okoloagu, Counsel for the Commission. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Vanguard)