Uyo Church collapse: Panel Yet to Submit Reports

• CLO raises the alarm of alleges plot to suppress findings

By Okon Bassey in Uyo

The commission of inquiry constituted by the Akwa Ibom State Government to probe the immediate and remote causes of the collapsed of the Reingers Bible Church, Uyo on December 10, 2016 is yet to submit its report about two months after completion of sitting.

 In the tragedy, scores of people were reportedly killed, many wounded while the state Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, and some his aides were among the luckiest ones that escaped death in the church building collapse.

 The commission of inquiry chaired by a retired Chief Judge, Justice Umoekoyo Essang, with six other members was inaugurated by the governor and urged tocommence sitting on December 16 and to submit its report in three weeks from the date of its first sitting or within such extended period as may be allowed after written approval.

There appears to be fears and anxiety that the report of the panel of inquiry might likely be suppressed, as the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Akwa Ibom chapter, which represented those who died and the injured at the commission, has raised the alarm over the delay by the state government to make public the report of the commission.

Briefing journalist in Uyo at the weekend, the Chairman of the state CLO, Clifford Thomas, warned against any attempt by members of the panel to compromise, arguing that “the commission never followed the due process before the proceedings ended.”

“The commission should not wind down without proper records of proceedings. The commission must come up with the records of proceedings for lawyers who appeared in the commission to address them before submitting it to government,” he declared.

Thomas who was particularly concerned over the collation of those who died and the injured in the incident, noted that no mention of the children was made in the collation of victims of the tragedy, wondering why such omission could be made when children formed the bulk of the dead in the accident.

He said: “We are representing the human rights community in Akwa Ibom, we are waiting for the report, and if we are not satisfied with what they are going to put out, we will have no other option than to release our own report and pass same to other human rights organizations in and outside Nigeria.”

According to him, the CLO would not hesitate to take the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to seek justice for the estate of the dead, especially concerning the fact that “several dead persons and the injured ones are not properly compensated.”

The CLO, he said, had received complaints by the bereaved families who accused the church and government of not living up to expectations in providing succour to the victims.

 “A member of the church told us (CLO) that the pastor begged that many of them who were injured in the accident should not disclose their real names.”