Amaechi And Mbu Finally Meet In Govt House

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the estranged Police Commissioner Mbu J.Mbu met face-to-face on Wednesday in Port Harcourt for the first time in several months.

The most important issue discussed at the meeting, which was also attended by other top-ranking military and law enforcement chiefs, was the increasing wave of insecurity in the state.

The governor on Thursday announced the dissolution of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, 48 hours after a state High Court declared the April suspension of the LG chairman, Mr. Timothy Nsirim, and his councillors by the state House of Assembly unconstitutional.

Mr. Nsirim declared yesterday that the council’s dissolution is of no effect and that he is fully in charge as its boss.

The initial suspension of the council by the state Assembly had sparked violence on the floor of the House with Amaechi blaming Mbu for taking sides in the political crisis in the state and not doing enough to curb crime.

He asked the police authorities to remove Mbu.

The police boss subsequently stopped meeting with the governor.

However, Mbu confirmed yesterday that he attended Wednesday’s security meeting at the Government House and spoke of the readiness of all the security agencies to collaborate with a view to ensuring a crime-free Christmas.

He said no fewer than 97 armed robbery suspects, including a 10-man gang that allegedly robbed a bank recently, had been arrested.

The police chief also announced the arrest of 48 other suspects for alleged kidnapping,sea piracy and cultism.

He assured residents of the state of security and safety, and warned criminals to either turn new leafs or relocate from the state, stressing that the police would leave no stone unturned in fighting them.

“Because of these EMBER months, we are now meeting every week to review our strategy; not only the strategy of the command, but all of us, the service commanders, the Army, Navy Air Force and SSS have been collaborating to ensure that crime is brought to the lowest minimum.

“We had a security meeting with His Excellency the governor at the Government House. After that, we met in my office, all in the effort to chart a way to ensure that crime is reduced,” he said.