19th October, 2013
Nnamdi Felix/ Abuja
Rivers state Governor Rotimi Amaechi on Friday explained his petition to the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, where he accused the state’s Police Commissioner, Mbu John Mbu, of abusing the constitutional rights of Rivers state indigenes to freely meet and hold events.
The governor appeared before the commission in Abuja in response to its invitation with respect to his petition.
He told journalists after a session with officials of the Commission, that his petition was intended to draw the nation’s attention to the increasing regime of impunity, rights abuses and police brutality in the state.
“What we are trying to do is to bring to the focus of the Nigerian nation that Rivers State is becoming a police state. We are here to submit a petition against the institution of the Nigeria Police Force. We thought it was the responsibility of the Nigeria Police to protect all Nigerians and protect the government but that has not been the case in our state. You know the Federal Government, through the President said they do not want state police and one of the reasons they advanced for not wanting state police is that the governors will abuse the institution of state police. Now, the Nigeria Police institution is being used to undermine the state government, to the extent that we can barely even hold meetings and state functions,” the Governor lamented.
The Commission had last week announced that it has invited the governor, Mbu and others capable of assisting the commission in its investigation.
Governor Amaechi cited instances where men of the police in the state have disrupted lawful gathering of residents and some state officials noting that at one of such incidents, some policemen shot tear gas at some prospective teachers in the state. He faulted police claims that their action was informed by a report it obtained to the effect that the people were planning to protest against the President.
“Then I asked a question whether, even if they wanted to demonstrate against the President, is there any law that bars anybody from demonstrating against the President? I thought we have the right to peaceful assembly. I know that it is only when the assembly becomes violent that you can then call in the police,” he observed.
The Governor accused the state Police Commissioner of becoming a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, which incidentally is the Governors party and the ruling party in the state, and that the Police Commissioner takes instructions from members of the party.
He expressed the hope that the National Human Rights Commission will act independently and transparently in handling his petition.
The Governor used the forum to also comment on the President Goodluck Jonathan proposed national dialogue which he described as a time wasting venture and wondered what happened to past conferences held in the country by past government.
He however expressed optimism that a positive outcome would be best achieved if the proposed national dialogue is a sovereign one whose outcome will not be subject to any manipulation or alteration by any authority.
Executive Secretary of the Rights Commission, Professor Ben Angwe told newsmen that the Governor was at the commission to help shed light on the allegations of rights abuses he raised in his petition.
He also said that the Commission has also invited more people including Mr. John Mbu and indicated that the Commission will visit the state in the course of its investigation and will hold a public hearing on the case.
Angwe, who was not categorical on when the investigation will end, assured that his commission will be thorough and transparent noting that the Commission will not hesitate to exercise its power of directing the arrest of any invited witness that refused the Commission’s invitation.