“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” ? George Orwell
If there is something so special and interesting about democracy that the people cherish the most it is Basic Human Rights. This includes freedom of speech that is the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Over 14 years, Nigeria left Military dispensation and moved on to the path of democracy but it is a pity that in a democratic set up of ours where freedom of speech is meant to be protected, granted and sustained, that is where it’s been abused and bastardized.
How could one have possibly thought that a Police Officer who is supposed to protect the Right of the People will end up abusing it by detaining a Journalist for describing him as being a Controversial Police Officer? Of course there is no one way to describe such an act other than a gross abuse of power and position.
Before he became the Commissioner of Police of Rivers State, only few knew much about him. He however became popular for his unpopular decisions and following his controversial activities in River State.
Politicians are usually known to be controversial but when a Police Officer becomes massively influenced and controlled by politics he becomes a “Policician”. Policicians are controversial which makes them not in any way different from a Politician except in dressing.
To prove to you that he is actually a Controversial Police Officer and that the Journalist was indeed right about his description of him, I will mention some of the many controversies about him:
He was the same that described himself as a “lion”, who tamed a leopard in Rivers State. Apparently referring to Governor Amaechi as a leopard. However, in a statement released on September 16, 2014by David Iyoforthe Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Rivers State, I quote:“Indeed it’s very sad, pathetic, however ironic that Mbu called himself a lion. Which lion? This character call Mbu Joseph Mbu completely lacks the courage, steel and strength of character of a lion. Rather he’s a shameless, corrupt puppet of a woman. This is a man paid by taxpayers to protect, secure and serve the interests of the people. But when he was in Rivers State, he spurned the people; he trampled on the masses and rather elected to be the partisan servant of one woman, to be the woman’s tool in causing disaffection, confusion and crises in Rivers State. Mbu shamelessly and corruptly turned himself into the toothless attack dog of this woman to fight the government and people of Rivers State.”End of Quote!
He was the same accused of authorizing the use of “rubber bullets” to disperse a group preparing to hold a rally in Rivers State, in which Senator Magnus Abe was shot.
On getting to Abuja, he was the same that authorized the use of water cannon to disperse protesting lecturers of polytechnics and colleges of education at the Eagle Square.
He was the same that banned the Bring Back Our Girls rally and protest in Abuja.
And just recently, he ordered the detention of a Journalist- Amaechi Anakwe, a reporter cum presenter for the African Independent Television (AIT) over a frivolous charge. He invited the Journalist to his office for allegedly referring to him as a “Controversial Police Officer” during his television programme- Matters Arising and after the Journalist arrived at his office in Abuja, he got him detained.
However, even with his many controversies, the aforementioned former Commissioner of Police was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.
When he started the culture and level of impunity in River State nobody stopped him and no one rebuked him. When he moved to Abuja, no one tamed him and no one cautioned him. He has now grown to be a bully, growing wild to truly become a lion which he claims to be.
The truth is, in a sane and functioning society the aforementioned Police Officer would have either been tamed or forced to resign if he refuses corrections but the reverse is the case. Rather he is being promoted.
And until something is done pretty fast about him and he`s being called to order, more abuses and bully will be made by him.
Thanks to the judicial system that one can still partially depend on if not Mr Amaechi Anakwe would have been cheated and his right would have been completely trampled on.
And like the Former Minister of Education– Oby Ezekwesili@obyezekswrote on her timeline on twitter,Iquote: “Mbu is a CONTROVERSIAL police officer who should be called to order by his supervisors. Send him to me for a FREE #Democracy101 tutoring”
I am absolutely in support of Mrs Oby Ezekwesili suggestion, He actually needs a Democracy 101 tutorial and that tutoring must start now before it is too late!
Imagine if someone like Mbu becomes the President? No doubt our freedom of speech would be taken away from us, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
And once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of the people, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear. That is the more reason why Mbu has to be stopped now!
We must be able to think freely and must be able to express our thoughts freely. Whosoever is against this is not only primitive but at the same time a very great enemy of our freedom. Such must be treated like an enemy of the people.
God Bless Nigeria!
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Ogundana Michael Rotimi… Follow him on Twitter @MickeySunny
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