The Nation, October 27, 2011
The story below from today’s NATION should not only finally put an end to those who believe they “voted for Jonathan and not the PDP” but must hasten the disbandment of the so-called “Nigerian Police” which has been nothing but an institution used to oppress the opposition. Many commentators, including this blogger, have written for years on why Nigeria must do away with a Nigerian Police in a federal union. The level of understanding of the rights of citizens as grasped by the guy who heads Kogi police command brings to the fore why calls for a national conference must be heeded.
The statement credited to the Kogi Police head is unexpected for one at such a high level of authority.
If President Jonathan is not aware of these goings on, then who is in charge and who sent a police chief to blockade the route of those men to Abuja?
The way things are in Nigeria with ACN representatives at National Assembly not raising their voices against the obscene pay cheques and perks, I’m not really into any of the parties because nobody seems really THAT interested in the masses. Having said that, the Action Congress, the CPC and LP are NOT in the league of PDP, and whatever Tinubu has purportedly done, he deserves the pleasure of the company of his party supporters in a supposedly democratic country.
Did Bode George on whose watch billions took a long walk at the Nigerian Ports Authority and for which he was “sanctioned” and who did time at Kirikiri Maximum Prison not return to a [PDP] hero’s welcome straight from jail to the storied Christ Church, Marina? Were PDP “chieftains”, including retired General Obasanjo (rGO) stopped from entering Lagos Island at Ebute-Metta on their way to rejoice with their “family” member for whom special fabrics were made into aso ebi?
To have a police commissioner who does not know, understand or appreciate the rights of citizens: of association, of movement, etcetera is to take Nigeria towards the Irans, the North Koreas … of this world.
President Jonathan must stop this slide.
TOLA ADENLE.
Kogi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Amanana Ababakasanga yesterday gave the reason behind the arrest of members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lokoja, the state capital.
The Police had on Tuesday intercepted and detained 28 members of the ACN, led by Mr. Rasheed Adedeji. The coaster bus, belonging to the Osun State Government House and which was conveying them has been impounded by the police at the Murtala Muhammad Bridge, Jamata en route Abuja.
According to the commissioner, the ACN members were disallowed to continue on the journey because they could not explain their mission to Abuja.
His words: “Somebody that is going to Abuja, should be ready to tell us his mission. So, since they don’t know their mission to Abuja, we stopped them from moving further.
“Since it was late to go back to Osun, we asked them if they can stay in the hotel for the night, but they say they have booked hotel for them in Abuja that they don’t have money to stay in the hotel here in Lokoja. They would prefer to stay with my officers at that bridge.”
According to the police chief, he ordered his men to escort out side the boundary of Kogi state. He said:”Since they have no mission going to Abuja, I asked my men to escort them outside Kogi. They can use another route to Abuja, but not through my state.
“Anybody who is living his house to somewhere, should have a mission. But in this case they don’t have. So, we see it as secret and the secret might be evil,” he explained.
Last month, the 19 buses conveying members of the ACN to Abuja to give solidarity to their leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu were also intercepted at the same spot by the police.
Tola Adenle
This is incredible. Totalitarianism is creeping in gradually but steadily while President Jonathan pretends at stand-byism. First, the raid on THE NATION’s office at Abuja and now the ambush of its members at Lokoja. When did police start asking questions beyond “gimme your money” or “wetin you carry”? When Lagos purportedly gave Jonathan “massive” support during the presidential elections rather than the flag-bearer of the ACN which was and can never be in the reactionary PDP column, the direction of present happenings was clear to many but the cries then were “we voted for Jonathan not the PDP”.
Whoever represents the PDP represents retd General Obasanjo. Rather than face the problems confronting Nigeria, the president seems more interested in having state apparatus used to fight rGO’s enemies. emotanafricana.com
Tola Adenle
I was too shocked to be coherent in the last posting.
KOGI Police Commissioner and whoever “from above” gave you this embarrassing and disgraceful instructions, did you stop to wonder what would have happened if these ACN members were going on one of those sycophantic “solidarity visits” to Aso Rock. Your instructions would have been to provide despatch riders for the trip.
This is worse than ridiculous. emotanafricana.com