By Emem Idio
YENAGOA—THE six-member Commission of Inquiry set up by Bayelsa State Government to look into the civil disturbances that rocked Niger Delta University community of Amassoma, which reportedly led to loss of lives and destruction of property last month, has begun sitting in Yenagoa, the state capital.

In his address at the inaugural sitting of the commission yesterday, chairman of the commission, DIG Michael Zuokumor (retd), said the mandate of the commission, which has 30 days to submit its report, was to look into the immediate and remote causes of the civil disturbances but not to indict anybody.

According to the terms of reference, the commission is also expected to identify the perpetrators of the unlawful acts and their sponsors and also determine the number and identities of persons injured or killed during the civil disturbances and the extent of damage to property if any, during the incident.

He said: “This commission is a fact finding commission, our mandate is not to indict anybody or ascribed liability but ultimately, to ascribe liability but ultimately to come to just and appropriate decisions to prevent in future the re-occurrence of the incident that led to the constitution of this commission.

“The commission has 30 days to submit its reports. We have received two memoranda from the Niger Delta University, NDU, and another person, but we don’t work on memorandum alone, since it is fact finding,  we will also take oral evidence. The commission will also visit the community before submitting its report.”