The Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the activities of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad and related offences, has struck out a petition by Oyigbo Indigenous Lawyers Association seeking an end to the activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
The petition, which was filed on behalf of the people of Oyigbo LGA, also sought that the Rivers State Government should rebuild all public infrastructure destroyed in the area when hoodlums hijacked the #EndSARS protest there.
Chairman of the Panel, Hon. Justice Chukwunenye Uriri (retd.), while dismissing the petition said the matter was outside the panel’s terms of reference, which has to do with police brutality.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after, OILA’s counsel, O.C Higher-King, said the proscribed group (IPOB) successfully hoisted its flag in Oyigbo because they felt that the area had been abandoned by the state government.
Higher-King however said there are cases of police and military brutality during the mayhem in Oyigbo, addng, “We recommend that the state government take over Oyigbo and own Oyigbo because the bride that is abandoned is public property. That is the problem we have, but they have struck it out.
“We also demanded that they should rebuild all the damaged infrastructure in Oyigbo, including Police stations and all the courts.”
