Nigeria’s Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition, NDCSC, has called for the removal of Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu,the Rivers State Commissioner of Police. The Coalition also wants Mbu demoted over his description of Governor Chibuike Amaechi as “tyrant and a dictator”.
NDCSC said that it was shocked beyond words to learn that the Rivers State Police Commissioner, made the comment, describing it as “an unparallelled executive rascality unbecoming of a senior professional police official and without any shadow of doubt, contrary to the code of ethics of a people oriented police service.”
In a statement issued in Port harcourt and signed by NDCSC Chairman Comrade Anyankwe Nsirimovu, NDCSC said that the recent public attack on the Governor underscored the earlier petitions of civil society groups in the region, to the effect that the commissioner’s continuing stay in Rivers State Police command can only be counterproductive, undesirable.
NDCSC further alleged that the Commissioner has proven beyond any reasonable doubt, following his untoward behaviour and vituperations, that he is an official, craftily drafted to Rivers State for a hatchet job.
The Coalition of Civil Societies in the region said that Commissioner Mbu has assumed the position of an alternative governor or better still, Sole Administrator, “in daily competition for control of the political space with an elected governor in a democracy”.
Amaechi: Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum
The group went further to allege that by sustaining Mbu in his position, the Federal Government may have introduced emergency rule in Rivers state, via the back-door.
“Failure to remove the Commissioner from Rivers state shall force critical civil society membership of the Doing Democracy Movement (DDM) to organize and prosecute a peaceful protest in Defence of Democracy and the Rule of Law shortly to drive home its position”.
Mbu Joseph Mbu, Commissioner of Police Rivers State
Below is the full statement credited to Commissioner Mbu at a recent press conference:
“I called this press briefing to speak on the very unpleasant reactions that are coming from the governor of Rivers state. The office of the governor is a revered office, it has respect. It is not an office that should be commonised. Sometimes silence is golden but sometimes it is misconstrued. I have respect for Governor Amaechi but his attacks on me are going beyond bounds.
“We have never held a formal security meeting in this state since I came. There has never been any formal letter written to convene security meeting in this state since I came. Letters for such meetings go to the security commanders indicating that there will be a security meeting with the governor or his Deputy. Attached to the letter are the agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting. I ask the governor to produce such. What the governor does is to ask his security officer to call the Commissioner of Police for a meeting. These people are below the rank of a DCP. I stopped them recently from calling my line because there are channels of communication. There is an Inspector General of Police, IG directive that after every Security Council meeting details must be sent by hand to the IG. “
“ One issue I have had with the governor is who chairs internal security meetings in the state. He, (governor) said we should rotate it but I said no, there is a letter from the NSA on this. It is the Commissioner of Police that does. I told him if my predecessors did not do what was right I won’t follow them. The Commissioner of Police is to chair the forum and assume responsibility to brief the governor. I told him the IG has so many sources of information. I told the governor that my loyalty to the governor is total.
“I will speak statistically on the crime wave and how it has reduced. I am a core professional police officer. I will beg the governor not to drag my name into politics. Nobody can influence me. It is only my conscience that can. I believe in God and I trust in God.
“The Chief of Staff to the governor has gone to court asking the court to restrain the police from arresting him. I am not ready for him yet because no court can grant such order. He threatened the live of the president of the place. That is why police is protecting the place (Port Harcourt club). A new circular is coming on who and who are entitled to police protection. The president of Port Harcourt club his life has been attempted twice
“Our governor is very tyrannical, he is a dictator. He wants everybody to say "yes sir" to him and I said I will not say so. I am a professional.
“I have refurbished twelve Hilux on my own. The crime rate has dropped in the state. There have been tremendous changes. I spent six months in Oyo state. And the House of Assembly held a Special session to honor me. I have respect for the office of the governor and the governor of the state. But let him also have respect for the Police and me. “
“The equipment the state government bought for tracking of kidnappers they gave to the SSS. I have tried to ask for one meant for the Police. I am not here for any agenda. I don’t know why His Excellency has chosen the war path with me.”
