A six-member Judiciary Commission of Enquiry tasked with unraveling the perpetrators of the gruesome murder of three brothers has been inaugurated by the Akwa Ibom State Government.

Emmanuel, Charles and Joseph Ukpabio from Nkari Clan in Ini, brothers of Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, founder of The Liberty Gospel Church, were murdered in cold blood a year ago.

Inaugurating the commission today at the Executive Chambers of Governor’s Office, Uyo, Governor Godswill Akpabio further tasked the members to inquire into the causes of the perennial crisis in Nkari Clan, identify instigators and those responsible for the crisis, apportion blame and recommend appropriate punishment.

“They shall generally recommend appropriate measures or actions to be taken by any person, institution or authority to guard against future occurrence, investigate any other matter which may appear to the Commission to be incidental or contributory to the matter stated in paragraph above. They also recommend measure to stop the re-occurrence of the incidence and crisis and make such other recommendations as the commission may be required,” Akpabio stated.

The governor expressed confidence in the calibre of persons in the Commission, saying: “They share our collective outreach that this dastardly act and believe with us that act like this constitutes a menace and threat to any decent society. We want to know those behind this act and I believe strongly that until they are behind bars, we cannot rest. We want to know who instigated them in the first instance; we want to know what measures we need to put in place because we have had perennial issues of disputes in this entire clan.”
The governor pleaded “with the people of Ini Local Government Area in the name of God,” telling them: “This is an opportunity for you to help to unravel the killers, to unravel the perpetrators . . . You can never say that you are living in a peaceful society when these men are still alive. I just want to plead with you in Ini Local Government Area, particularly members of Nkari Clan, not to feign ignorance because I know you know them. Every society knows a bad person.

“We must as one bound in love and brotherhood do everything to stop blood-letting and murders in our midst so that this will not dent the reputation of Akwa Ibom which has remained a peace-loving State. I urge you in the name of God and for the love of this great state to cooperate with this commission, help these men to bring out the truth so that justice will not only be done but will be seen by all.

“I believe that Ini Local Government Area should look inward, and I am calling on the Chairman, the councilors and all those who run the Local Government to do everything possible, not just to bring out this current perpetrators but all other criminals within the immediate environ of Ini Local Government Area because if you don’t bring this killer to book, tomorrow we may face something more grievous than this. Let me just say that he who sows to the wind, will reap a whirlwind. We will not rest; we will not allow them to rest until we bring them to justice.”

Akpabio sympathised with the Ukpabio family on the gruesome murder of their three sons. “My heart goes out to the family that lost the three brothers, and my prayer is that God should console them. As a Government, we have taken the right step,” he said.

Responding, the commission Chairman, Hon. Justice John U. Bassey, thanked the governor for the confidence in appointing them to undertake the task and assured that the commission would not fail to accomplish its terms of preference, hoping that the final report would engender peace and development in Nkari clan.

The commission, which derives its power from Akwa Ibom State Commission of Inquiry Law 2000, has been given six weeks to submit its report. It has Barr. Augusta Bassey of the Ministry of Justice as its secretary while Dr. Mfonobong Ndarake Itek, Barr. Nse Ekanem and Mrs. Bernadette Inyang are to serve as members.

•Photo: Governor Akpabio.

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