Mbu Joseph Mbu, a controversial police commissioner in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, has been promoted.
Mr. Mbu was among 18 other senior police officers promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police by the Police Service Commission in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mr. Mbu came to national notoriety in Nigeria when he served as the Rivers State commissioner of police. He mobilized police under his control and tried unsuccessfully to remove Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who was then having a political face-off with President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Pro-democratic activists believed that Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the wife of the Nigerian president, as well as Nyeson Wike, the minister of state for education, instigated Mr. Mbu’s many clashes with Governor Amaechi.
Mr. Mbu was widely criticized for his brash manners and political partisanship. After his transfer to Abuja, Mr. Mbu announced that he was banning all protest rallies in the Federal Capital Territory. His pronouncement was so embarrassing that the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had to overrule him.
Other commissioners of police who were also elevated are Ambrose O. Aisibor, Adebayo Ajileye, Umaru Abubakar Manko, Joel Kayode Theophilus, Wilfred Eje Obute, Felix Osita Uyanna, A. J. Abakasanga, Jubril Olawale Adeniji, Ibrahim M. Maishanu, Godfrey E. Okeke, Chintua Amajor-Onu, Lawal Tanko, Usman Akila Gwarry, Kalafite Helen Adeyemi, Yahaya Garba Ardo, Irimiya F. Yerima, Olufemi A. Adenaike and Patrick Dey Dokumor.
All the appointments are with effect from August 20, 2014.
A statement signed by a police spokesman, Ferdinand U. Ekpe, said the promotions became necessary in order to fill the vacancies created by recent retirements and promotions in the police. Mr. Ekpe added that the promotions would serve to re-invigorate and reposition zonal police commands headed by AIGS in order to help tackle the country’s current security challenges.
The police service commission had earlier promoted eight officers to the rank of the deputy inspector general of police.