President Jonathan, in recent times you have increasingly called for the
respect of human rights in our young democracy, given the painful history
of attacks on the press by some past administrations, especially by the
military who took a largely hostile view of the press.
Time after time, you have expressed that the Nigerian government and
officials should show full respect for freedom of press and speech, as you
have made it your sacred duty to steadfastly entrench our growing
democracy with various freedoms.
But here is Mr. Joseph Mbu, a high level police officer at the nation’s
capital and just elevated to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General, who
appears to be openly defying your crucial call for the respect of freedom
of the press and speech.
For some reason, this man who, unfortunately, represents your government
before the eyes of the free world, appears to enjoy a life of provocation,
bullishness, controversy, attack mode, self- boastfulness, and hostile
dispositions.
Mr. President, on this period of celebrating our Independence and
gradually moving towards the line of growing democratic freedoms, Joseph
Mbu, reportedly ordered the detention of an AIT senior journalist,
Amaechi Anakwe, for describing him as “controversial” on a program aired
by the station.
For this journalist to be brought into the police premises for his
opinion, first as a human being and, second, as a press communicator, is
a dishonor to the continuing efforts of our nation’s people toward
strengthening our independence and leaving behind forced control and
domination.
No matter the outcome of this breach of human rights incident, Mr. Mbu’s
apparent show of negativity and fighting behavior, at least verbally, does
not bode well for a government like that of Nigeria, a government that is
being watched by the world at this critical time of security and economic
challenges.
Mr. President, in our current state of affairs, why would a man like Mr.
Mbu with many lives, both private and public, depending on him in the
nation’s capital, suddenly appear to be possessed with an obsession for
do-or-die power?
The long standing psychological problems of Nigerian police officials is
well known in the nation, and to this very day, there remains a lack of
adequate professional psychological services for both trainees and exiting
or serving officers such as Mr. Mbu.
How do we know if this man is not possibly suffering from negative and
unhealthy mental processes? There appears to be something wrong with Mr.
Mbu, as his attitude, as it is being reported, leaves journalists more
fearful and uncomfortable in public and in private under security agents
like himself.
Who will be his next victim of verbal threats, such as this journalist has
experienced?
Mr. President, the fact that this journalist was even called or “invited”
to a security premises like that of the Nigerian police force endangers
the protection of free speech and press.
Mr. Mbu’s reported behavior towards the Nigerian free press is nothing
short of a strong-arm tactic for silencing media organizations and their
representatives across the country.
Sir, it is immaterial at this time how this case ends or whether he faces
internal query by his supervisors who hopefully are not intimidated by
him.
This man’s act has brought shame and a slap to your presidency, to the
police profession, and above all, to the personal safety and security of
journalists.
The Jonathan administration cannot allow this sort of behavior to go
unpunished, especially from a man who appears to hate dissenting opinions,
disrespects basic human rights and takes pleasure in overusing and abusing
his power.
Currently, the position of the Nigerian Police Force as recently outlined
by Mr. Suleiman Abba, the new Inspector General of Police, is to heighten
the image of professionalism in the force. Therefore, for the good of the
entire police community that wishes to distance itself from its old
reputation as a violator of human rights, an excessively antagonistic
officer like Mr. Mbu should be forced to retire, or face immediate
dismissal, in addition to being strongly encouraged to seek some form of
self-help as a civilian on matters of personal reflection and respect for
the Nigerian Constitution.
President Jonathan, remember you do not need the United States of America
to keep reminding your administration to ensure freedom of the press. You
yourself have personally made it clear that one sacred way to honor God
and the people of Nigeria is to steadfastly show respect for each other as
entrenchment in our culture, constitution and country.
Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi is a Forensic and Clinical Psychologist and a
former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association.
Jos5930458@aol.com