Rights commission probes Rivers Police Commissioner

[Mirror]

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is probing the incumbent Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Joseph Mbu, over twin allegations of insubordination to the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi and fuelling of crises in the state.

The probe is to ascertain whether, by his conduct in the state, he is still a fit and proper person to lead the police formations in the state or any other part of the country.

Governor Amaechi personally invited the commission to investigate the allegations vide a petition written by him and dated October 1, 2013.

Director of Public Affairs and Communication in the commission, Mr. Muhammad Nasir Ladan, confirmed the receipt of the petition and disclosed that the commission had already swung into action.

In the petition, Governor Amaechi accused Mr. Mbu of carrying out his duties without recourse to necessary constitutional and legal standards.

Amaechi said: "The Rivers State Commissioner of Police is presently led by Mbu, whose pattern of actions and public utterances are manifestly contrary to basic standards of behavior for a person occupying his very sensitive office.

"Also, his utterances and actions are contrary to basic standards of behavior and the constitutional framework for controlling the security structures of a state, the unique security challenges, formations networks and infrastructure of Rivers State."

He also alleged that Mbu's comportment is at variance with the mission statement of the Nigerian Police which requires police officers to ensure the creation of a safer and more secure environment conducive to meaningful socio-economic development through crime prevention and control.

"Mr. Mbu's mode of exercising his duties without recourse to necessary constitutional and legal standards is creating an environment rife with fear, distrust of security operatives and public institutions, strife, impunity, criminal behaviors and brigandage, factors which were all implicit in the build up and escalation of the crisis in the Niger Delta.

"Currently the state commissioner of police barely acknowledges official communications from the governor – not to mention other principal agents of Rivers State.

"The avenues for giving him lawful directives in my constitutional role as the Chief Security Officer of the state have been unilaterally and unlawfully precluded by Mr. Mbu.

"Mr. Mbu has joined an unprecedented disposition to publicly ridicule the person and office of the principal members of a state government, including the governor by a state police commissioner with unilateral and unreasonable actions made to undermine inter- agency security collaborations, democratic activities of elected and appointed public officers and the operations of whole units of government," he added.

Source: Rights commission probes Rivers Police Commissioner