2015: Mbu talks tough ■ Controversial police AIG says ‘I’mbattle ready’

Lagos residents may have to brace up for more surprises from
the controversial Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of police,
Mbu Joseph Mbu who heads the zone 2 command
headquarters of the force. He has threatened it will be fire for
fire in the coming elections.
“Nobody, no matter the position, will be above the law, I will
shame critics as we are not afraid of any person, I repeat,
anybody who attacks my men violently, we will respond
violently as we are battle ready”, Mbu thundered at a lecture
he held for senior police officers at the Lagos police command
headquarters, Ikeja on Wednesday.
The warning from Mbu, who came into limelight as a
Commissioner of police in Rivers Statewith his frequent
clashes with the state governor, Hon. Rotimi Chibuike
Amaechi is coming on the heels of his face-off with the Lekki
Concession Company, operators of the Lekki toll gates last
week.
The police chief had last week ordered the detention of some
LCC officials and policemen attached to the company after his
convoy of six vehicles was asked to pay toll fees.
However, addressing senior officers of the Lagos command on
Wednesday, Mbu attempted to paint the picture of a
gentleman who cannot hurt a fly. According to him: “You can
see for yourself that I am a simple man. Very friendly to be
around with, and humble. Anyone who is afraid of me must be
a lawbreaker. I can barely hurt a fly. Anyone who had worked
with me will understand that I hate indiscipline and will not
tolerate a dirty looking policeman.
“For now I do not have another job and will only do the right
thing to protect my job. All I need is police officers to know
the power they carry and utilize it properly according to the
constitution.”
For him, the 2015 general elections provide an opportunity for
him to shame his critics. “We will do our best. This is not the
first time that I have monitored elections and so far, it has
been peaceful in those areas and this will not be an exception.
“We have enough vehicles, manpower from police units such
as Mobile Police Force, Special Protection Unit, Rapid
Response Squad and we can even seek the assistance of the
Army”, he added.
He charged the senior police officers, including the rank and
file, to keep to the ethics of the profession and desist from
any act of corruption. “I want to warn policemen against
selling their conscience because of money or personal interest.
Policemen should be prepared to do the job and build
confidence rather than pursuing money, taking police job like a
personal business”, he said.
Mbu noted that his men should be prepared to work hard for
the success of the coming polls and be ready to either be
promoted, demoted or shown the way out of the police force if
found in any act of dereliction of duty.
The new AIG said policemen should not allow themselves to
be used or intimidated by any politician or political party,
saying that he would be ready to defend them when they are
on the right path.
He advised policemen who would be deployed to polling
centres to resist any form of violence, ensure that they take
pictures or video record of perpetrators of violence and always
update their bosses with situation reports.
He warned policemen against injustice and impartiality, adding
that they have nothing to do with election results or rigging.
Meanwhile, calm has returned to the Lekki tow gate, after the
ugly incident that led to the withdrawal of mobile policemen
posted to guard the area and ensure compliance by Mbu
Friday, last week.
Mbu’s convoy, consisting of six cars and an armoured
personnel carrier, sought to transit through the Ikoyi-Lekki toll
plaza on Lane 8.
On reaching the toll point, some of the police orderlies
escorting the convoy allegedly ran up and informed the LCC
official on duty and the mobile policemen standing by that the
AIG was in the convoy.
The LCC official was said to have retorted: “Who is the AIG?
He should follow procedure and pay the toll.”
Mbu, who was said to have overheard the remark, felt insulted
by the effrontery of the LCC toll plaza staff. To make matters
worse, the five mobile policemen attached to the plaza were
also said to have engaged the orderlies escorting the convoy
in an altercation. Their conduct was said to have enraged the
AIG, who then ordered that they be arrested along with the
LCC staff and detained at the Maroko police station. Mbu also
ordered the withdrawal of all policemen attached to LCC.
As a result, the LCC management was said to have reached
out to the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, who allegedly
facilitated the release of all the detainees. The monarch is a
retired Assistant Inspector General, AIG, of police.
Mbu was, however, said to have refused to restore the
security details attached to the company despite pleas from
the Oba. Saturday Sun gathered that it took the intervention of
a former IGP, Musiliu Smith to convince Mbu to restore the
company’s security details.
Meanwhile, Saturday Sun learnt that while the face-off lasted,
LCC was at the mercy of local vigilantes and policemen from
Maroko division who patrolled the area.