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A PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE MOVEMENT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE ON THE
CRISES RAVAGING RIVER STATE July 20, 2013
Abuja For some weeks, Nigerians and the world at
large have watched with regret the chaos and crises ravaging the Rivers state house of
assembly and Rivers state at large. The disagreement between the state governor, who is the chief
security officer of Rivers state, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Commissioner of Police
who is the security field officer of Rivers state, Mr Joseph Mbu. We are aware of the
allegations by the Rivers state governor and the counter allegations by the Rivers state
commissioner of Police, but the most painful is the insecurity of life and properties witnessed
in Rivers state as a result of this crises and disagreement. Consequently, it has become
imperative that we lend our voices to save lives and properties in Rivers state and to
also save our nascent democracy. It is worthy of note that "no sooner had Mr
Joseph Mbu resumed in Ibadan than he became embroiled in a civil matter that brought his
sojourn in the state to an abrupt end. Trouble started when Mbu allegedly ordered his men
accompanied by two Armoured Personnel Carriers to seal off the ancestral palace of the Asipa
of Oyo in February, 2013. The police arrested the head of the Asipa Family, who is also
the Alago of Ago-Oja, Chief Ganiyu Ajiboye. He was not only whisked away, his vehicle
was impounded while his palace was sealed. Ajiboye had a running battle with the state
government over his claim to the title of Ashipa. As soon as he regained his freedom,
the Asipa sued Mbu and the police for N1 billion for illegal and unwarranted invasion and subsequent
occupation of Asipa'spalace. Following the uproar that attended the incident, Mbu was
redeployed to Rivers State in March. The CP, Mr Joseph Mbu had barely spent two
months at his new command when he and the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, became entangled
in a controversy over who should be in control of the security system in the state. The rift
between them widened when the CP directed his men to seal off the secretariat of Obio/Akpor
Local Government Council on May 3, after the Rivers State House of Assembly suspended the
Chairman, Vice Chairman and 17 councilors over allegations of abuse of public funds
and breach of security. Since then, the two men had been throwing
verbal missiles at each other with the governor accusing the CP of being a mole and an agent
of "Abuja politicians." The recent abduction of three members of the
National Youth Service Corps provided, the gradual return of militancy and cultism in
Rivers state within this short period is an indication that all is not well with the present
security setting in River state. The crisis that has rocked the River state house of assembly
and is still rocking it is clearly pointing to the fact that there are serious security
lapses in Rivers state. We believe that the crises would have been nipped in the bud if
the Police in Rivers stats had done its job well and fairly.
We have also noted that Governor Rotimi Amaechi has hosted four commissioners of Police in
Rivers state as a governor and there has not been any noticeable rancor and disagreement
between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the said Commissioners of Police. We must ask pertinent
questions like; what role did Mr Joseph Mbu play in the crises that engulfed Oyo state
that led to his redeployment? Why has crises erupted in Rivers state barely five months
after Mr Joseph Mbu took over as the CP of Rivers state? What was the working relationship
between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the other four commissioners of Police that served before
Mr. Joseph Mbu? How often did the former commissioners of Police who served under governor Amaechi
complain or allege victimization, interference and high handedness that Mr Joseph Mbu now
allege? An Igbo adage says "A woman who goes to four different markets and fights at each
of the four markets is no doubt the one inciting the quarrel".
The governor of a state is constitutionally the chief security officer of the state while
the commissioner of Police is the field officer. A situation where the chief security officer
of the state and the field officer do not agree and work in synergy will give rise to
insecurity, crises and lack of confidence which are obvious in Rivers state today. The
people of Rivers state and Nigerians are the losers. The Rivers state that was lately known
for peace has now become the center of chaos. We believe that the best way to solve this
crises and save the people of River state is to separate the chief security officer
of the state (governor) and the Field officer of the state (Commissioner of Police). The
Governor, Rotimi Amaechi is an elected executive officer and cannot be wished away, except
by constitutional means of which the commonest is impeachment and today, the Rivers state
house of assembly has not thought it wise to impeach governor Amaechi. In contrast,
the commissioner of Police is an appointee by the Inspector general of Police and can
be simply re-deployed as stated in the constitution. It is therefore clear that the most acceptable
and fairest way to separate the chief security officer of the state (governor) and the security
field officer of the state (Commoner of Police) to restore peace in rivers state will be for
the Inspector general of Police to Re-deploy the Commissioner of Police in Rivers state,
Mr Joseph Mbu, while we pray that there should be no crises in the state where he will be
redeployed to this time around. It is therefore on these grounds that we demand that the Commissioner
of Police, Mr Joseph Mbu be re-deployed with immediate effect in the interest of peace
and the security of lives and properties of Rivers state people.
In a similar vein, It is a common knowledge that many waters has passed in Rivers state,
from the crises in Obio/Akpor local government where the police has taken over the secretariat
of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, to the crises now rocking the rivers state house
of assembly, where some lives have been alleged to have been lost and many others in critical
health conditions, including some members of the Rivers state house of assembly. We
demand that the inspector general of Police carry out a detailed investigation with the
aim of prosecuting anyone found wanting and culpable in the crises rocking Rivers state
today. We are aware that the Rivers state house of Assembly now has two maces (symbol
of authority in the house) and that five members of the state assembly attempted to impeach
the speaker of the state house of assembly and also the fact that there are two people
claiming to be the speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly. This is not just an abuse
to rivers state, but an abuse to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the
Nation at large. Consequently, we demand that the source of the second and fake mace be
investigated and those behind the criminal acts punished. We also demand that the purported
impeachment that took place in the Rivers state house of assembly be investigated and
those who worked against and abused the Nigerian constitution be punished. Also, the person
unlawfully laying claim to the office of the speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly,
be arrested and prosecuted. This will restore sanity in River state so that the state will
continue to enjoy the peace that it was known for in recent times.
We are also aware that a free for all fight broke out in the state chambers and its environment
in Rivers state and that some people are in critical health conditions as a result of
the fight. While we thank God that no member of the state house of assembly has lost his/her
life and continue to pray for the quick recovery of those injured, we demand that a thorough
investigation be made on the chaos leading to the free for all fight so that those found
culpable will be punished and justice will be served to all.
Finally, we demand that the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Goodluck
Jonathan take up the security of the Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi as a matter
of urgent national issue and importance to make sure that the governor's safety is assured
in the midst of these crisis and chaos, till normalcy is returned to Rivers state.
God bless Rivers state and God bless the federal republic of Nigeria.
Com Jasper Azuatalam Movement for Accountability and Good Governance
MAGG