RIVERS State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has
dared the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, to shoot him whenever
he embarks on a demonstration against him (CP) and the Federal Government.
dared the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, to shoot him whenever
he embarks on a demonstration against him (CP) and the Federal Government.
Mbu had placed a ban on any form of
demonstration, procession or rally by any person or group of persons in the
state and warned anybody not to dare him on the directive.
demonstration, procession or rally by any person or group of persons in the
state and warned anybody not to dare him on the directive.
But speaking on Tuesday when leaders and people
of Urashi Kingdom paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House in Port
Harcourt, Amaechi vowed that he would be at the forefront of the protest that
would come up soon.
of Urashi Kingdom paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House in Port
Harcourt, Amaechi vowed that he would be at the forefront of the protest that
would come up soon.
The governor said he had told traditional leaders
in the state to get ready for the demonstration against Mbu over the police
commissioner’s position on rallies and demonstrations.
in the state to get ready for the demonstration against Mbu over the police
commissioner’s position on rallies and demonstrations.
Amaechi, who decried Mbu’s attempt to stop the
people of Urashi from paying a solidarity visit to him, said it was wrong for
the police to have harassed his supporters.
people of Urashi from paying a solidarity visit to him, said it was wrong for
the police to have harassed his supporters.
He said Rivers was now a police state following
the police attempt to stop people’s movement by blocking the entire Orashi
region.
the police attempt to stop people’s movement by blocking the entire Orashi
region.
He said, “Another thing I will tell you is that
we are looking for a date we will demonstrate against what the Federal
Government and what the Commissioner of Police are doing in Rivers State.
we are looking for a date we will demonstrate against what the Federal
Government and what the Commissioner of Police are doing in Rivers State.
“We have told our chiefs to get ready. Once we
get a date, once we get people from overseas; they are Nigerians; they will
join us and we will give you the date.
get a date, once we get people from overseas; they are Nigerians; they will
join us and we will give you the date.
“I have told the CP (Mbu) to be ready to shoot
me, I will be in front. I will not seat here and wait for you to match here and
give me letter. Instead, I will keep SSG here and then I will match down with
you people.
me, I will be in front. I will not seat here and wait for you to match here and
give me letter. Instead, I will keep SSG here and then I will match down with
you people.
“Then I will give the SSG letter to give to the
FG so that if they want to shoot, they can shoot me because we have a right to
express our views. You have the right to criticise me. I am not particularly a
good man. There is nobody that is a perfect man in the world. Is there any?”
FG so that if they want to shoot, they can shoot me because we have a right to
express our views. You have the right to criticise me. I am not particularly a
good man. There is nobody that is a perfect man in the world. Is there any?”
He, however, commended the people of Urashi
Kingdom for braving the odds to get to Port Harcourt in spite of the attempt by
the police to stop them.
Kingdom for braving the odds to get to Port Harcourt in spite of the attempt by
the police to stop them.
Insisting that every Nigerian had the right to
express his or her views, Amaechi argued that the state police commissioner did
not have the powers to ban demonstration since it (protest) was part of the
people’s fundamental human rights.
express his or her views, Amaechi argued that the state police commissioner did
not have the powers to ban demonstration since it (protest) was part of the
people’s fundamental human rights.
He said, “You people are by far stronger than me.
I got a report yesterday very late at night that the police had planned to stop
you people. I was thinking that once you see policemen, everybody will run into
his house.
I got a report yesterday very late at night that the police had planned to stop
you people. I was thinking that once you see policemen, everybody will run into
his house.
“But you must learn how to use these things. You
should have recorded them so that you can show to the world how much a tyrant
our commissioner of police is.”
should have recorded them so that you can show to the world how much a tyrant
our commissioner of police is.”
Source: Punch
