February 14, 2015 – A civil society group called Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has petitioned the Police Service Commission over recent comment made by Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone 2, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu.
In the petition signed by Executive Chairman of the group, Mr. Nelson Ekujimi, the group called for termination of the appointment of the AIG who was posted to the zone a fortnight ago.
The AIG had on Thursday in Abeokuta called on the policemen to be civil and threatened civilians against attacking his men adding that he will kill 15 civilians for one policeman killed.
“Mr. Mbu said if any of his men were shot, no less than twenty civilians would pay for it. If one of my men is killed, I shall kill twenty of them but don’t shoot first. If they shoot you, shoot back in self-defence. Anybody who fires you, fire him back in self-defence”, the AIG said to warn politicians who are currently arming thugs in readiness to unleash mayhem during the election.
According to the group, the Nigeria police by the constitution establishing it is charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order through enforcement of the law.
“The right to terminate the life of any citizen is constitutionally entrusted in the courts through interpreting the constitution and meting out punishment to violators of the law. It is unconstitutional and criminal of the police or any person or organization to kill a human being without the authorization of the courts after a judicial trial”, the group said.
The group therefore demanded Immediate dismissal of Mr. Mbu Joseph from the Nigeria Police for misconduct, immediate arrest and trial of Mr. Mbu for violating the constitution through threats of attempted murder against Nigerians, immediate reorientation of men and officers of the Nigeria police in line with global best practices of policing, who might have been contaminated by Mr. Mbu’s order to kill Nigerians, immediate and unreserved apology to Nigerians for this threat to life and assault on their sensibilities by the Nigeria Police Force, immediate withdrawal of the unconstitutional and illegal orders to kill Nigerians by the Inspector General of Police.
The group said failure of the Police Service Commission to comply with the above demands, will imply that the police authorities should be held responsible for any murder(s) committed by AIG Mbu and men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force before, during and after the 2015 general elections.
