by Caroline Edet in Abuja
Cross River born Police Chief, AIG Mathew Mbu who was former Commissioner of Police in Rivers State has described himself as a leopard who was able to tame the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi who Mbu described as a Leopard.
Mathew Mbu who went on to become Commissioner of Police and now AIG in Charge of Zone 7, FCT, said each time Amaechi remembers his face, he will also remember how he (Mbu) tamed him.
Mbu has been taking notes of all the governor has been saying about him, and on Monday, in his usual bluntness, he took a swipe at the Rivers governor while handing over to the new FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, in Abuja.
He advised his successor to be firm in his dealings with policemen in his command and avoid soiling himself.
“I advise you (CP) to carry the senior officers along in your administration. It is only a lion that can tame a leopard. I tamed the leopard in Port Harcourt; each time he remembers my face, he would remember how I tamed him,” Mbu said, drawing loud laughter from the audience.
Mbu also spoke about how a police commissioner must deal with those under his command with firmness and avoid unnecessary concessions to them. He advised Inalegwu to discourage policemen from going for special duties, noting that the obligation of policemen was to the general public and not to provide protection for only the elite.
He stated that the Force needed strong leadership to achieve results, adding that he had put the command on a solid pedestal, noting that under him, the command procured 5,000 special raincoats with the assistance of the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed. The police force under his command was also able to save N10m from the ‘FCT logistics’ and bought two buses to transport the rank and file to their duty posts.
Mbu, who is now in charge of Zone 7, Abuja, explained that there was no petition against him throughout his tenure as the CP in charge of FCT, because he dealt with the people fairly.
But the Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has responded by describing the former Police Commissioner of Rivers State, Mbu Joseph Mbu as a politician in police uniform who attempted to cripple the economy of the state.
Amaechi spoke when the newly deployed commissioner of police, Mr. Dan S. 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.
According to Amaechi, the former police boss deviated from his professional role of protecting lives and properties by serving politicians of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Unlike Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, who clearly showed us that he was a registered member of PDP, in your own case, (Ogunsakin) you know that, we had disagreements, but, you realized your responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property as the paramount responsibility of the Nigerian Police.
“It is important you keep that pace. And I wish to thank you for ensuring peace reigned in the state. 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 (Ogunsakin), and you restored calm. You tried to create a platform for all parties to have access to reach you. And as you go, please, go with that same spirit.”
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