Mbu’s Exit Restored Peace To Rivers- Lawyer

A Port Harcourt-based
lawyer and social crusader, Barr Jackson Assor has said that the violence against the state government by the Rivers State Police Command has abated with the transfer of the former Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu.
Barr Assor who was assessing the performance of the new police boss, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin noted that relative peace had been achieved since he assumed duty.
“The police commissioner has demonstrated that he had come to do things properly in the state and to work with the state government”, the lawyer stated.
He noted that it was important for the rule of law to be obeyed in the handling of the affairs of the state.
Barr Assor, who also said that the rate of crime in the state has reduced with the assumption of office by Ogunsakin and pointed out that the cordial relationship that should exist between the state government and the Nigeria police had been rekindled.
He expressed regrets that in the 21st century in a federal state like Nigeria, state could not have their own police force.
He said that policing was encumbered by so much centralisation and flayed the lack of devolution of powers. Barr Assor compared the Nigerian Federal State with the American one and expressed regrets that Nigeria operated a unitary state.
He called for a review of the law to allow the states run their own police force.
According to him, “the ongoing conference should provide a platform for the review of our obsolete laws”. The Port Harcourt lawyer called on all Nigerians to put hands on deck to make the country move forward.

Chidi Enyie

Some of the new judges of the Court of Appeal at their swearing-in in Abuja , recently. Photo: NAN