Leadership Rivers: Awaiting Senate, Police Reports On Aborted Rally Anayo Onukwugha — February 3, 2014 The Nigerian Senate, on Monday, January 13, 2014, mandated its Committee on Police Affairs, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disruption of a rally, organised by the Save Rivers Movement(SRM), a political pressure group, loyal to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, by men and officer of the Rivers State Police Command, acting on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu. The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly apparently became interested in the matter, following the alleged shooting, by the Police, of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, during the botched rally, which held at the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Rumuola, Port Harcourt. Barely 12 hours after the Senate gave the directive, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, constituted an investigative team headed by a Commissioner of Police, Mr Idris Farouk, to look into the incident, which has attracted global criticisms. Abubakar, according to a statement, signed by Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Frank Mba, a Chief Superintendent of Police, stated that the team had been mandated to visit the scene of the incident and interview all relevant parties, including organisers of the event, adding that the team would also interview ‘police officers and other key witnesses’ so as to obtain full and unbiased account of the incident to aid the investigation. On Tuesday, January 14, 2014, barely 24 hours after the Senate took the decision, the Committee, led by its Chairman, Senator Igwe Paulinus Nwagu, landed in Rivers State and headed straight to the State Police Headquarters, located along Moscow Road, in the state capital, where they met with the Commissioner of Police, Mbu. Members of the Senate committee, which included Senator Hadi Sirika, also visited Government House, Port Harcourt, where they questioned the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Tony Okocha, who is believed to be one of the organisers of the botched pro-Amaechi rally. The committee also visited the State College of Arts and Science, located along Rumuola-Rumuokwuta Road, in Port Harcourt, and the premises of a new generation church located within the vicinity, where most people, who were caught in the alleged shooting, ran into for safety. Speaking at the Police headquarters, the committee chairman, Nwagu said the committee was not in the state to witch-hunt anyone, but on a fact-finding mission, so as to let Nigerians know what really transpired during the botched political rally. Answering questions from members of the Committee, Commissioner of Police, Mbu, has said that there were no rubber bullets in the State Police Command. According to the Police chief; “We don’t have rubber bullets in the Rivers State Police Command. We have never used rubber bullets since I resumed here as the commissioner of police. The use of rubber bullets is not one of our rules of engagement in this command.” The commissioner also reaffirmed his position to newsmen when he was asked if the Nigerian Police Force uses rubber bullets: “I can’t speak for other police commands, but as for the Rivers State Police Command, we don’t have rubber bullets and as such we have no reason to keep them. Rubber bullets are not used by any officer in this command.” When he was asked who could have allegedly shot Senator Magnus Abe with a rubber bullet, Mbu replied: “As far as I know, none of my officers went out with a rubber bullet on Sunday, January 12, 2014. So, none of my officers or men could have allegedly shot Senator Abe with a rubber bullet.” Mbu further explained; “All our men sign for the arms they take out of the command for operations. So, you can easily trace the use of arms and ammunition. Since we do not have rubber bullets in the Rivers State Police Command, it is clear to all that none of our men shot Senator Abe. It cannot happen because we do not have the rubber bullet which they claim was used to shoot the Senator.” The commissioner was asked by Senator Igwe if he was aware that Senator Abe was allegedly shot at close range by one of his men on Sunday, January 12, at the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Rumuola, where the Save Rivers Movement (SRM), where billed to hold a rally on behalf of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Mbu declared: “My men did not shoot Senator Abe with rubber bullets because they don’t have rubber bullets. No shot was fired at the rally. As a rule, we only shot live bullets when we are chasing armed robbers. “To quell an unruly crowd all you need is teargas. There was even no teargas in this command when I was deployed here. The militants, oh sorry, they have been pardoned, so they are now ex-militants stormed the place and carted away all our canisters. I bought the ones we are using now. So, the question of using rubber bullets does not arise because we do not have them.” At the Government House, Port Harcourt, the committee Chairman again said that they were in Rivers State to find out what happened, the level of participation, and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 05:28:16 +0000