Leave Politics Out Of State Security Since Mr Joseph Mbu arrived in Port Harcourt as the Rivers State commissioner of police, he has not been a friend of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. On Tuesday, the Rivers State governor said that he was just waiting for an appropriate time to lead the people to protest the injustices meted out to Rivers people by the federal government and the police commissioner. Amaechi spoke in a reaction to what he called “complaints” by traditional rulers and the chairmen of Abua Odua, Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs that make up the Orashi region of the state. But the police commissioner denied the allegations. A series of altercations ensued. He once called the governor a “dictator”, insisting that the rift between them was caused by his obstinacy over who chairs the State Internal Security Council. According to him, he has the mandate of the national security adviser to head the body. But Amaechi, as the chief security officer of the state, wants it rotated. The frosty relationship of the duo is already impacting negatively on the security in the state. Both men ought to forge a cordial working relationship in the state’s and the nation’s overall interest. Personal interest should not come before that of the state. It is a wrong for public officers to openly incite people against state institutions or for security people to intimidate and terrorise the people they are mandated to protect and secure. Governor Amaechi was unwittingly encouraging civil strife in a volatile state like Rivers where insurgency is commonplace when he said: “The commissioner of police cannot say he banned protest... We are going to protest against what the federal government and what the commissioner of police are doing in Rivers State. We have told our chiefs to get ready. We want to get a date; once we get people from overseas and Nigeria that will join us, we will give them the date. I have told the CP to be ready to shoot me; I will be in front. If they want to shoot, they can shoot me because we have the right to express our views.” Although freedom of movement is part of the people’s fundamental human rights, it should be guided by responsibilities. Whenever the people have reasons to revolt or protest, they need police permit to assemble and carry out their legitimate crusade. A situation where such is not guaranteed could degenerate into a crisis of unimaginable proportion. If the governor thinks otherwise, he should go to the State Assembly that passed the law concerning street protests and get the law amended. It is appropriate for the governor to douse this ensuing tension between him and the police chief and provide an enabling environment for the federal officers posted to his state to discharge their duties in an impartial, non-partisan, professional and neutral manner. We urge the inspector-general of police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, and the national security adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to mediate in this unsettling conflict for peace to reign in Rivers State. We can ill-afford the fallout of these contestations.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 07:47:51 +0000
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