‘The way Mr. Mbu was going, River’s economy would have collapsed completely’ – Rotimi Amaechi

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, yesterday, described the former Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Joseph Mbu, as a politician in police uniform, who attempted to cripple the economy of the state.
Amaechi who spoke when the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dan Bature in company of the outgoing Commissioner of Police and newly promoted Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunshakin and other top Police officers paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Port Harcourt, said that the former police boss deviated from his professional role of protecting lives and property by serving politicians of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. 

He said, “Unlike Mr Mbu, who clearly showed us that he was a registered member of PDP, in your own case (Ogunshakin), you know that we had disagreement, but you realised your responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property as the paramount responsibility of the Nigerian Police.

 

It was important you kept the peace. And I thank you for that peace. I am also sure, Rivers people are happy about that. And the way Mr. Mbu was going, Rivers economy would have collapsed completely. Fortunately for us, they took him away and brought you (Ogunshakin) and you restored calm. You tried to create a platform for all parties to have access to you. And as you go, please, go with that same spirit. The Police in Rivers State should discharge their responsibility as it concerns the protection of lives and property. 

“Let me welcome the new commissioner of Police and say that if the Federal Government refuses, I will repeat what I said, when I was sworn in as governor in 2007. I said, if the Federal Government refuses to provide legitimate source of livelihood for Nigerians in our state, Nigerians will provide for themselves illegitimate source of livelihood. And that include kidnapping, robbery, stealing by people who will hire or provide police or military uniforms. And that illegitimate source of livelihood becomes its own economy which automatically frightens the legitimate economy.” 

He advised the new commissioner of Police, Mr. Bature to ensure social justice rather than partisan politics, warning that the absence of social justice may breed resistance and breakdown of law.