B’Haram suspects: Mbu’s absence stalls meeting with Jigawa lawmakers

    
Efforts by the eight members of the Jigawa State House of Assembly to meet with the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, over 19 suspected members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, proved abortive on Thursday.
The lawmakers, led by Mr. Shehu Wan, had travelled to Port Harcourt on a fact-finding mission on the reason behind the continued detention of the remaining 19 suspects.
The State Police Command released 275 out of the 294 suspected members of the violent Islamic sect after screening but 19 suspects were held back by the command after a team of investigators recommended that the suspects cases be investigated further.
Wan, who represents Kalugama Constituency in the Jigawa State House of Assembly, told newsmen that their proposed meeting with Mbu could not hold because he (Mbu) was not in the office.
The lawmaker insisted that the remaining 19 suspects were mainly traders and not Boko Haram members, adding that nothing incriminating was found on them.
He said, “We are here because of the arrest of our people from Jigawa State by the Police. We have been here since yesterday and our investigations have shown that 296 people were arrested and 275 have been released.
“On our arrival yesterday (Wednesday), almost all of them were released except 19, who are still been held by the police. Our mission here is to find out what really happened. We started with the community leaders. Later, we met with the detainees and after that, with the police.
“When we got to the Police Commissioner’s office, he was not on seat. After our meeting with community leaders, we found out that nothing incriminatory was found on them; they are mainly traders and those who come here on annual vacation.
“On the official position of the police, the Assistant Commissioner said he was not mandated to talk, the commissioner is not around and the deputy commissioner (of police) is also not around,” Wan said.
He pointed out that the traders always travelled to Rivers to earn a living after the rainy season, adding that those arrested left Jigawa on Friday January 24, 2014 on their way to Port Harcourt.