Billiri crisis: Gombe Governor receives report, vows to punish perpetrators

The Gombe State Government has vowed to punish those who have been indicted in the Billiri crisis, as the Commission of Inquiry submitted its report to the governor.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya

said he would impose appropriate sanctions on those implicated in the crisis while calling for deeper investigations into the circumstances that led to the clashes to prevent future occurrences.

Governor Yahaya said he considered the crisis the greatest challenge of his administration since assuming office in 2019, saying the commission was constituted to ascertain the causes of the crisis, to preventing a repeat.

Submitting the report, the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Justice Gurama Mahmood, said the commission gave a fair hearing to all the people involved in the crisis to guarantee justice.

Justice Mahmood said overall, 181 petitions and memoranda were received, out of which 154 were determined, while 27 others were struck out for either want of diligent prosecution, or after being withdrawn by the petitioners.

“The commission has some weighty allegations against some individuals which were not determined because they were, unfortunately, unsubstantiated,” Mahmood said.

He said the commission had made recommendations for further investigations into the matter.

The chairman said the commission had to seek additional time in order to accommodate the tremendous responses from all stakeholders.

He equally commended Governor Yahaya for the opportunity to serve the state and praised the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the media and all stakeholders for the success of the task.

It will be recalled that crisis in Billiri town, Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State erupted after a peaceful protest over the alleged delay in the appointment of the new traditional ruler, the Mai Tangle of the Tangale Chiefdom turned violent in February this year, leading to the destruction of lives and property.

Nnenna.O