Two officers of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Inspector Kokotte Isang and Inspector Goodnews Etim, attached to retired Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Joseph Mbu, have been detained at the Ikom Police Station, Cross River State, following a reported altercation involving local residents and some military personnel.
According to a situation report from the Unit Commander of 75 PMF, Obudu, ASP Linus Ekpo, obtained by SaharaReporters, the officers were allegedly detained by their principal, retired AIG Mbu, after a series of incidents that occurred on May 11.
The incident reportedly began around 4:30pm when Mbu locked the community town hall in Ikom, thereby preventing a scheduled community meeting.
Community members thereafter alerted the Nigerian Army, prompting soldiers to arrive in two trucks and forcibly reopen the hall.
Retired AIG Mbu allegedly reprimanded the officers for failing to stop the soldiers from gaining access to the venue.
SaharaReporters learnt that later that evening, at about 9:30pm, he reportedly abandoned the officers — members of his security detail — at Topman Club in Ikom and instructed his house guards not to allow them into his residence. The officers reportedly spent the night outside the gate.
At around 4am, the following morning, Mbu initially ordered the officers to return to base, but later reversed the decision and had them detained at the police station.
The police signal partly reads, “GOOD EVENING SIR X 75 PMF OBUDU X SITREP X DETENTION OF PMF MEN X AT ABOUT 1630HRS OF DATE X SEQUEL TO INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM UC IKOM MINE X ASP LINUS EKPO X UNVEILED THAT X INSPT KOKOTTE ISANG AND INSPT GOODNEWS ETIM X ALL ATTACHED TO RETD AIG JOSEPH MBU X ARE ALL PRESENTLY DETAINED BY THEIR PRINCIPAL AT IKOM POLICE STATION X DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE LOCKED THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL TO PREVENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FROM HAVING A MEETING THEREIN.
“THE COMMUNITY IN TURN REPORTED HIS ACTION TO THE MILITARY X ARMY LATER WENT TO THE VENUE WITH TWO TRUCKS LOAD OF SOLDERS AND FORCEFULLY OPEN THE HALL X RTD AIG QUERIED OUR OFFICERS X THAT WHY DID THEY ALLOW THE ARMYMEN TO OPEN THE VENUE X SECONDLY HE HURRIEDLY LEFT SAME MEN X WHO ESCORTED HIM X BEHIND AT TOPMAN CLUB AT IKOM X AT ABOUT 2130 HRS OF 11-05-2025 X INSTRUCTING HIS HOUSE GUARD NOT TO OPEN THE GATE FOR THEM X THE OFFICERS SLEPT OUTSIDE THE GATE.
“AT 0400HRS OF 11-05-2025 HE ORDERED THAT THEY SHOULD RETURN TO BASE BUT LATER CHANGED THE ORDER AND DETAINED THEM AT THE STATION X ALL EFFORT TO REACH HIM BY THE UC PROVED ABORTIVE X ABOVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND FURTHER DIRECTIVE( S) X AOR IS CALM X POLICING CONTINUES PLEASE X CO 75 PMF.”
Attempts by the Unit Commander to reach the retired AIG for clarification were unsuccessful.
Authorities confirm that the area remains calm and that routine policing continues. Further directives are awaited from higher authorities.
Joseph Mbu is a controversial figure who came to national attention during his tenure as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.
He was widely criticised for his aggressive tactics and perceived political bias, particularly during his conflict with then-Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi amidst tensions involving President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Mbu later served in Abuja, where he made headlines again by attempting to ban all protest rallies in the Federal Capital Territory—a move that was ultimately overruled by then Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar. (SaharaReporters)