After an
hour of listening to the lecture of the new Assistant Inspector General
(AIG), in charge of Zone II, Onikan, Lagos State, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu,
dubbed as ‘controversial policeman,’ by most people, another word came
to mind, ‘a disciplinarian.’
Mbu became a controversial policeman after his repeated head butts with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. Buttressing his disciplinary nature, Mbu who was touring the Zone, comprising; Lagos and Ogun states, programmed to meet and lecture his men on Wednesday at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
The event was slated for 10:30am, but he was there before most policemen.
Those who thought it was ‘African time,’ as usual, were shocked to meet the event in progress.
The theme of his lecture was simply for the policemen to be prepared for the forthcoming elections. He wanted it to be the freest and fairest, void of violence and he knew he could not do it alone. In his speech, Mbu described himself as a meek and harmless person, but repeatedly showed flashes of his claws. He regaled his policemen with anecdotes of his life as a young police officer, causing them to laugh.
The laughter, however, quickly ceased when he warned them to stop clapping for him anytime he made a statement. He also showed his claws when he ordered journalists to unceremoniously vacate the event because he wanted to have tete-a-tete with his men.
He even threatened to smash video cameras of some journalists who were still filming after he ordered them to stop because he wanted to make a statement which he didn’t wished to be televised. While noting that he knew his policemen in the zones were jittery after they heard about his posting to head Zone II, Mbu said he was happy about their being nervous, adding that such speculations would make the men alert. He advised them not to fear, but respect him.
He said: “I’m here before you. I’m as meek and harmless as anything.” He, however, hinted that they should not take his meekness for granted. His words: “Most times when you see lions, they lie down and appear gentle. It’s the same thing with Alsatians dogs. They walk around big and gentle. They appear calm, but they’re not! What I’m trying to say, is that a policeman should have confidence and be courageous. If a sheep heads a herd of lion, the lions would be like sheep. If a lion heads sheep, the sheep would be like a lion.”
He said that among all the security agencies in the country, the police was the number one, stressing that the men should always hold their heads high and never allow anybody to humiliate them. “Brace yourselves high because you know your pedigree,” he said. “The police officer is invested with power.” He urged them to cultivate the habit of jettisoning money and to carry out their duties diligently.
His words: “You’re struggling too much for money instead of doing your job. Read your books and study hard and nobody will mess you. Don’t allow anybody to mess you because of some money you collected or want to collect from him. Don’t sell your conscience and soul!”
Mbu advised the police to be alert and serious; especially at polling booths they were assigned. He said that any of them not given his/her election allowances should petition.
This was even as he threatened to deal with anyone for dereliction of duty. Recalling an election he once monitored, Mbu said: “I was a mobile police officer back then. I paid all the men that went on that election double of their pay and fueled their patrol vehicles. I still returned the balance of the money to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar. We should lead by example.”
While instructing Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Officers to be in charge of their men, he said that they should not forget that he was the overall driver of both commands. “I’m the driver of Lagos and Ogun states. The CPs and others are passengers, Agberos! Don’t allow yourselves to be controlled by the passengers in your bus. Nobody can intimidate you. I am your father! Police is the symbol of authority. The police are like the elephant that covers the nation.”
He noted that corrupt DPOs breed corrupt officers. He warned that he no longer wanted to see armed policemen in mufti; neither would he take kindly to any of them wearing bathroom slippers or sandals while on official duty.
Mbu thundered: “A police officer is like gold. Dress and look well. Be neat in your uniforms. Don’t put on bathroom slippers. No more carrying of guns when you’re wearing mufti. As an officer, learn to discipline policemen under you. I also don’t want to see traffic policemen sitting and gossiping when they should be controlling traffic.
If you’re tired, let somebody else take over.” Fielding questions on the incessant attacks on policemen at polling booths during election period for no reason, Mbu said: “I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, don’t always attack my policemen! People always leave the subject matter to attack my policemen.
Anyone who attacks my policemen violently, we would retaliate violently! I’ve called for massive onslaught. We are going to station heavily armed policemen, with teargas in certain areas. We are going to fix trackers on all police vehicles. If we get calls, we’ll ensure we go to those places. If we respond to calls, we’ll smoke the place and arrest everybody. The whole world is watching. We as police are the leading agency in this election, we must lead by example.” Mbu’s sudden transfer to Zone II, just days before elections sparked speculations and debate.
Many alleged that he came to rig election for the ruling party. But after his lecture, people changed their songs, saying he may have come to stop a particular political party from rigging. But whatever happens, this election will either make or mar Mbu’s police career.
Mbu became a controversial policeman after his repeated head butts with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. Buttressing his disciplinary nature, Mbu who was touring the Zone, comprising; Lagos and Ogun states, programmed to meet and lecture his men on Wednesday at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
The event was slated for 10:30am, but he was there before most policemen.
Those who thought it was ‘African time,’ as usual, were shocked to meet the event in progress.
The theme of his lecture was simply for the policemen to be prepared for the forthcoming elections. He wanted it to be the freest and fairest, void of violence and he knew he could not do it alone. In his speech, Mbu described himself as a meek and harmless person, but repeatedly showed flashes of his claws. He regaled his policemen with anecdotes of his life as a young police officer, causing them to laugh.
The laughter, however, quickly ceased when he warned them to stop clapping for him anytime he made a statement. He also showed his claws when he ordered journalists to unceremoniously vacate the event because he wanted to have tete-a-tete with his men.
He even threatened to smash video cameras of some journalists who were still filming after he ordered them to stop because he wanted to make a statement which he didn’t wished to be televised. While noting that he knew his policemen in the zones were jittery after they heard about his posting to head Zone II, Mbu said he was happy about their being nervous, adding that such speculations would make the men alert. He advised them not to fear, but respect him.
He said: “I’m here before you. I’m as meek and harmless as anything.” He, however, hinted that they should not take his meekness for granted. His words: “Most times when you see lions, they lie down and appear gentle. It’s the same thing with Alsatians dogs. They walk around big and gentle. They appear calm, but they’re not! What I’m trying to say, is that a policeman should have confidence and be courageous. If a sheep heads a herd of lion, the lions would be like sheep. If a lion heads sheep, the sheep would be like a lion.”
He said that among all the security agencies in the country, the police was the number one, stressing that the men should always hold their heads high and never allow anybody to humiliate them. “Brace yourselves high because you know your pedigree,” he said. “The police officer is invested with power.” He urged them to cultivate the habit of jettisoning money and to carry out their duties diligently.
His words: “You’re struggling too much for money instead of doing your job. Read your books and study hard and nobody will mess you. Don’t allow anybody to mess you because of some money you collected or want to collect from him. Don’t sell your conscience and soul!”
Mbu advised the police to be alert and serious; especially at polling booths they were assigned. He said that any of them not given his/her election allowances should petition.
This was even as he threatened to deal with anyone for dereliction of duty. Recalling an election he once monitored, Mbu said: “I was a mobile police officer back then. I paid all the men that went on that election double of their pay and fueled their patrol vehicles. I still returned the balance of the money to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar. We should lead by example.”
While instructing Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Officers to be in charge of their men, he said that they should not forget that he was the overall driver of both commands. “I’m the driver of Lagos and Ogun states. The CPs and others are passengers, Agberos! Don’t allow yourselves to be controlled by the passengers in your bus. Nobody can intimidate you. I am your father! Police is the symbol of authority. The police are like the elephant that covers the nation.”
He noted that corrupt DPOs breed corrupt officers. He warned that he no longer wanted to see armed policemen in mufti; neither would he take kindly to any of them wearing bathroom slippers or sandals while on official duty.
Mbu thundered: “A police officer is like gold. Dress and look well. Be neat in your uniforms. Don’t put on bathroom slippers. No more carrying of guns when you’re wearing mufti. As an officer, learn to discipline policemen under you. I also don’t want to see traffic policemen sitting and gossiping when they should be controlling traffic.
If you’re tired, let somebody else take over.” Fielding questions on the incessant attacks on policemen at polling booths during election period for no reason, Mbu said: “I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, don’t always attack my policemen! People always leave the subject matter to attack my policemen.
Anyone who attacks my policemen violently, we would retaliate violently! I’ve called for massive onslaught. We are going to station heavily armed policemen, with teargas in certain areas. We are going to fix trackers on all police vehicles. If we get calls, we’ll ensure we go to those places. If we respond to calls, we’ll smoke the place and arrest everybody. The whole world is watching. We as police are the leading agency in this election, we must lead by example.” Mbu’s sudden transfer to Zone II, just days before elections sparked speculations and debate.
Many alleged that he came to rig election for the ruling party. But after his lecture, people changed their songs, saying he may have come to stop a particular political party from rigging. But whatever happens, this election will either make or mar Mbu’s police career.
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