The recent altercation between Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi and the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph, is becoming very unsettling. Since the man was posted to the state, neither he nor the Chief Security Officer of the state has had any rest. There has been a series of bickering which eventually resulted to the outburst in which the Police Commissioner called the governor a “dictator”. The frigid relationship of the duo is already impacting negatively on the security in the state where crime has suddenly started to rise. Observers believe that this may be the worst relationship ever between a governor and a serving police commissioner that has come to public knowledge. Granted, the Nigeria Police is a federal institution with a command structure where the Commissioner of Police takes (or ought to take) instructions from the Inspector-General of the Police. On the ground, the Police are also expected to be impartial non-partisan, professional and neutral but we all know what the real situation is. Where to strike the balance is now at the discretion of the officer in question. Even at that, most police commissioners find a way to manage the relationship to continue to be in the good books of their state governors. Or put differently, governors always try their best to bring police commissioners posted to their states on their side by adequately “taking care” of them. The former Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, was a former Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State and was said to have so “cooperated” with the then Governor Goodluck Jonathan that he decided to “pay him back” by elevating him when he became President. Do not get me wrong here; this is just a simple example where a cordial Governor-CP relationship paid off. And so, why is Rivers State clearly different? The rumour that Mbu had insisted on taking instructions from Abuja may be valid but insufficient in providing an explanation for some of his “above the board” actions. One will naturally expect the CP to obey “orders from above”. But even police commissioners in states controlled by the opposition parties have managed to work harmoniously with their governors without shifting their loyalty. Why then is Mbu so different that he could go confrontational publicly with Amaechi? Who is this spoiler, waiting to benefit from the breakdown of law and order in Rivers State? Is this just about the CP himself? Or, are his actions consistent with the script written by the Ogas at the top believed to be prodding him? What could be responsible for the no love lost relationship?
The role of the police is to prevent the breakdown of law and order. The governor of the state being the Chief Security Officer is supposed to be working with the police and other security agencies in the state to ensure adequate security of lives and property within the command. The political situation in Rivers State in the past few months has been such that Amaechi and the President at some point are believed to have found themselves at cross purposes. Such a frosty relationship will naturally put the CP, a federal officer, under some pressure. Candidly, such a position is unenviable. He will be naturally caught in-between obeying the instructions from the CSO of the state, his immediate boss and the orders from above. But that is where the professionalism of his training ought to have kicked in. Leaning fully to any one side of the divide may lead to the breakdown of law and order, which will bring disrepute to the police as an institution. In the case of Mbu, his actions and pronouncements have been seen to be so partisan in a manner that leaves no one in doubt as to where his loyalty lies. One cannot therefore believe that he allegedly offered the services of his men to escort the ex-militants when they demonstrated against Amaechi’s government even up to blocking the Rivers State Government House. Interestingly, as the demonstrations were going on, it was reported that Mbu himself and the AIG, Jonathan Johnson, were on a courtesy visit to the governor. The same Commissioner of Police came out to ban other peaceful protests in Rivers State immediately thereafter, ostensibly to prevent a counter-protest by some elements who could be sympathetic to the governor.
Rivers State is an important doorway to the Niger Delta and Port Harcourt remains the most populous city in the region. It houses the only international airport in the region and is therefore one of the most important entry points of the world into the Niger Delta. One will only recall the portrait of that city during the period of militancy to understand the level of risk anyone runs by playing politics with security of such a strategic state. The consequences will surely spread and snowball beyond the region up to the South-East. With the distraction of Boko Haram insurgency, additional insecurity in the Niger Delta is one luxury that the Jonathan administration cannot afford. Efforts must be made to nip this in the bud, whatever it may cost. The Rivers State Governor must be reminded that he is the one who will be held fully responsible by the citizens who elected him. He must therefore explore every peaceful means to resolving the current impasse internally before it degenerates.
The Programme and Advocacy Coordinator of the Civil Society Network for Police Reforms, Okechukwu Nwanguma, responded thus when I sought the comments of professionals to the saga: “The Rivers State CP has failed to exhibit principles of professionalism, discipline, non-partisanship, neutrality and integrity consistent with his high office. He failed to display knowledge and understanding of his duties as a police officer among which is to serve the people, not any partisan political regime or interest and to provide equal protection to all in a dispute. He has exhibited patent ignorance of the law and the limit of his powers when he threatened those who may embark on peaceful protests or street demonstrations without seeking or getting police permit. That threat seeks to arrogate to him and the police, powers they do not have under the law. It is an utter infringement of the fundamental human rights of citizens to freedom of expression as guaranteed in Chapter Four of the Constitution. The CP can no longer be trusted to professionally and impartially police the state by enforcing the law within the state. His clear acts of bias present a test case for the newly reconstituted Police Service Commission to prove sceptics wrong by demonstrating its doubted ability and willingness to ensure discipline and accountability in the police”.
Others have likened the conduct of Mbu to that disgraceful event where the late AIG Raphael Ige led a team of policemen on July 10, 2003, to abduct the then Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, allegedly on the instruction of his estranged godfather, Chris Uba – a clear rape of democratic tenets.
Based on all of this and more, the Inspector-General of Police needs not wait any further to ensure the frosty relationship between the governor and the state police boss is resolved for the peace and security of the state.
Source: The Punge
