AIT reporter floors Mbu, police AIG

AIT reporter floors Mbu, police AIG

Friday, October 3, 2014 10:27 pm


A magistrate court siting in Abuja has discharged Mr. Amaechi Anakwue, a journalist with the African Independent Television, AIT.

Amaechi was arrested on the orders of former Rivers and Fct Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7.

Mbu Joseph Mbu

Mbu Joseph Mbu

The journalist was alleged to have disparaged Mr. Mbu whom he referred to as being controversial during a programme he anchors on AIT, an act which the police top brass believes was calculated to impugn his character and reduce his reputation before the public.

However, the prosecutor, Mr. Chijioke Okezie at today’s proceedings informed the court that he had been instructed by Mr. Mbu to withdraw the First Information Report; FIR, which was filed before the court upon which the journalist was to be tried.

Amaechi Anakwue: David defeats Goliath Mbu

Amaechi Anakwue: David defeats Goliath Mbu

According to Mr. Okezie, Mr. Mbu who is the complainant in the case has directed him to withdraw the FIR and to bring the journalist back to his office at the Zone 7 Command Headquarters located at the Wuse Zone 3 axis of the Abuja metropolis.

Amaechi’s lawyer, Mr. N. J Njoku protested against the return of his client to the police command but did not object to the withdrawal of the FIR. H3 insisted that in the face of the withdrawal of the FIR by the prosecutor, that the only thing left for the court to do was to discharge his client.

The court presided by Mr. Egboi Anthony Enahoro agreed with Ameachi’s lawyer noting that the proper thing to do in the face of the withdrawal of the FIR by the prosecutor is to discharge the accused and he thereafter discharged the journalist.

Mbu, the controversial senior police officer, earned notoriety during his posting to Rivers State as a commissioner of police. He was noted for his partisanship and disrespect of constituted authority, as symbolised in Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

At a stage Mbu carried his partisanship too far that it became clear he was taking instructions from Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s president at the centre of a political crisis in the oil-rich state.

Mbu was later transfered to Abuja, following public outcry. In the Federal Capital, he quickly showed his colour, when he unilaterally banned public procession, at the time the #bringbackourgirls campaign was gathering some steam. His order was countermanded by the former IG, Mohammed Abubakar.

Recently, he described himself as a lion who tames every leopard that crosses his way.

His remark got a swift response from Governor Amaechi: “This character called Mbu Joseph Mbu completely lacks the courage, steel and strength of character of a lion. Rather he’s a shameless, corrupt puppet of a woman. This is a man paid by taxpayers to protect, secure and serve the interests of the people. But when he was in Rivers State, he spurned the people, he trampled on the masses and rather elected to be the partisan servant of one woman, to be the woman’s tool in causing disaffection, confusion and crises in Rivers State. Mbu shamelessly and corruptly turned himself into the toothless attack dog of this woman to fight the government and people of Rivers State.”

“How can a man who has no strength of character to be himself, be a man and stand up to a woman, a man who willingly submits himself to serve as the puppet of a woman call himself a lion? How ironic! Mr. Mbu, no lion behaves like that! You are a disgrace and shame to the Nigerian Police Force.

Now the lion has been tamed by an ‘ordinary’ journalist in the court of law.


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