Gombe Gov Receives Report of Commission of Inquiry on Billiri Violent Protest

By Segun Awofadeji

Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Yahaya, has said the recommendations contained in the report submitted by the Commission of Inquiry on the February Billiri violent crisis will be thoroughly analysed and implemented to prevent against future occurrence.

Yahaya gave the assurance yesterday while receiving the commission’s report at the Government House in Gombe.

The governor remarked that the crisis that led to the setting up of the Commission of Inquiry constituted the greatest challenge his administration had faced in the last two years and four months of its stewardship.

“And we take it as something that has been predetermined by God, because is only God that guides and controls whatever that happens to humanity,” he said.

He regretted the level of primordial attachments some people harboured that could even lead to the destruction of lives and property of their brothers and sisters.

The governor assured the people that his administration would carefully study the matters and the circumstances that led to the violent crisis so as to prevent future occurrence, while also imposing sanctions where necessary to maintain the excellent relationship going forward.

According to him, “I am not surprised my lord that it took you this long to go through this process, because the enormity of the task is very high, and not only that, as a Justice of a High Court of Bauchi State, you were among the thorough and diligent jurists on your job, as well as all the members of the commission.”

Yahaya revealed that members of the commission were chosen based on their individual track records and the trajectory upon which they built their career of always ensuring that issues of public interest are laid bare without prejudice.

He said: “Let me say that any assignment done to this level by men who are really very thorough in life is something that we should behold and work with. So the time that you put in preparing this report will not be in vain and will not be wasted because we shall go through this report and make sure that the recommendations are properly implemented to avoid the pitfalls in our life time going forward.”

The governor used the occasion to thank the people of Billiri Local Government Area and management and staff of the Ministry of Justice and the state civil service as well as other citizens of the state for supporting the commission during its assignment.

Earlier, the Chairman of the commission, retired Justice Mahmoud Gurama, said a total of 181 petitions and memoranda were received out of which 154 were heard and determined, while 27 were struck out for want of merit or outright withdrawal by the petitioners.