As suicide bombings take its toll on Nigerians, it has emerged that recent reports of the arrest of two suspected Boko Haram members in the Ebonyi State capital, Abakaliki, was a security hoax designed by the Aide de Camp
(ADC) to Governor Martin Elechi, Mohammed Tinja to enrich himself.
Police sources in Abakaliki confirmed to Pointblanknews.com that Tinja masterminded the arrest of the men only to use a section of the media to sell the story they were Boko Haram members.
A top police office with the Ebonyi State Police Command told Pointblanknews.com that his officers have since discovered that the ADC arranged the arrest of the men and the Boko Haram story that followed.
Said the officer: “We were thoroughly embarrassed. These men were actually mai guards who were travelling to the North. We had to promptly release them, but not before stories had flown that we arrested Boko Haram members.
“You can imagine how much damage the story did to our security fabric. We all know Ebonyi is one of the most volatile states in the South. No Governor would want an additional trouble from Boko Haram. This is where his ADC came handy.
“As a man in charge of the immediate security of the 70-something year-old Governor, it was easy for the ADC to get prompt approvals to spend tens of millions of Naira to upgrade the Governor’s security,” alleged the source.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tinja, whom police sources say is related to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Alhaji M. D Abubakar, has reportedly, enmeshed himself with the politics of the state.
So steeped is this police officer in the local politics of the state, that he has reportedly deployed his influence with the Governor to transmute into a political godfather of some sort. Miffed by this development, three political figures in the state-Barrister Chris Okoh, Mr. Uche Nweke and Hon. Pius Nwofe recently alleged that the police officer might have become the campaign manager of the Commissioner for Local Government, Chief Celestine Nwali, who is believed to be eyeing Elechi’s seat in 2015.
While admitting the “inalienable right of anybody to pursue his or her political aspiration without let or hindrance,’ such pursuit they however said must be done “without infringing on the peace being enjoyed in Ebonyi state”.
The ADC is also believed to have masterminded the recent public muscle flexing between the police and a political group, Ebonyi Youth Assembly
(EYA) led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state Youth Leader, Hon.
Chinedu Ogar.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that beyond the immediate security of Governor Elechi, Tinja had dabbled into several police operations to quell communal disturbances in the state.
A case in point, Pointblanknews.com gathered, was the ADC’s role in the Ezza/ Ezillo clashes two years ago.
On March 31, 2010, he reportedly breached protocol by abandoning the Governor to personally steer a Police armored carrier to Ezza-Ezillo ostensibly to lend support to one of the warring communities.
This move was said to have led to the death of some policemen who were caught in the crossfire.
The recent sudden transfer of the State Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Adeola Adeniji, out of the state, many believe, may have been championed by the ADC who is reportedly in the habit of bragging about “na we get police”, euphemism for his relationship with the Acting IG.
Students of Ebonyi State University (EBSU) claim it was Tinja who fired gunshots into the air when they staged a peaceful protest against the lack of potable water in the school.
Associates of the ADC admitted their friend shot into the air because he was miffed at the students’ attempt to blackmail the government, hence his resort to “shake them up.”
The situation is said to be not much different In the Government House, Abakaliki. The ADC reportedly hurls his influence in and around Government House so much so that his word is law. According to sources, not even the Chief Detail and other security details count as far as Tinja is concerned. The Chief Detail and Chief Security Officer (CSO) are both said to be in the dark about the security arrangements for the Governor since the matter is solely handled by Tinja.
He has reportedly populated the governor’s security circle with policemen and other security agents from his ethnic stock. With these men at his beck and call, the ADC reportedly uses them to undermine the Chief Detail and the CSO.
With no stomach for dissenting opinions, Tinja reportedly cast aside his SUPOL (Superior Police Officer) status to physically assault a Police Corporal who refused to obey an order to humiliate a security officer.
Having cornered all the juicy security contracts to himself, Tinja’s stupendous wealth is reflected in his taste for exotic Honda cars, properties in Abakaliki, Jos and Abuja, as well as a farm where he breeds ostriches and crocodiles.
Attempts to make Tinja comment on the allegations were unsuccessful. As a serving police officer, he explained, he is not permitted to speak to the press.
A close friend of his however dismissed the allegations as “borne out of envy.” He claimed that the ADC had a very comfortable background and did not need the police to buy choice cars or have a farm.
“We know those who are behind this. They are only being jealous because the ADC has the ears of the governor. Of course this is because he is competent. Elechi isn’t the only governor in Nigeria and my friend, Tinja, doesn’t have to be ADC,” he declared.