•Recalls his saddest moment as a policeman
By Austen Yong
MBU JOSEPH MBU!
Do you remember him?
That’s the no nonsense topflight cop who hit every news headline between 2012 and 2016. Then there appeared to be an eclipse in his career trajectory : Mbu , who was generally touted , would be the next Inspector General of Police, after IGP Suleiman Abba was retired unceremoniously along with 21 other Assistant Inspectors General of Police in 2016 . But wait a minute , something went wrong and Mbå fumed . No, it wasn’t for not being appointed IGP but for being denied his rightful promotion to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police . Mbu bidded his time to see if the Police Service Commission would correct the anomaly. They didn’t . In 2017 , Mbu challenged his retirement at the Industrial Court , Abuja Division in Suit No. NICN )ABJ/198/2017 .
Then began seven years of legal brickbats . Mbu won his case . The Police Service Commission appealed the judgement and lost . On October 16 and 17 , 2025 , the Commission met . Two critical decisions they took in their plenary session was to reinstate Mbu into the Nigeria Police Force with effect from July 2 , 2017 and secondly , to promote him to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police effective from July 2, 2016 , as he had canvassed for, in court but subject to his retirement on April 18, 2018.
Mbu won the battle.
Today , Rtd DIG Mbu Joseph Mbu , NPM NPMC psc psc+ sits back to reminiscence over his hazardous postings in the Nigeria Police Force . He had served as DPO in the South East , North Central and North East(Potiskum) and North West( Zaria) .
EARLY YEARS OF INSURGENCY
In the early years of insurgency in the North East , Mbu had served as Commander of of the Elite Federal Highway Patrol incharge of Adamawa , Bauchi , Borno , Gombe and Yobe States with a fleet of about 30 brand new Toyota Land cruiser Jeeps launched by IGP Musiliu Smith in September 1999 . In 2001 , he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police and moved to Niger State Command as Area Commander , Minna Metro, incharge of 14 Divisional Headquarters then. When the late Governor Kure’s Escort Commander was killed by armed robbers along Suleja – Minna road , the IGP ordered Mbu’s transfer from Minna Metro to Suleja Area Command , with a total of 16 Divisions .
He served there from 2002 to 2005. One of his most celebrated successes as Area Commander , Suleja , was the arrest of the nine man dreaded armed robbery gang who operated between Niger and Kogi states . The same gang had killed a Colonel of the Nigerian Army at Lambata , as he was on his way from Ilorin to Abuja through Lapai . He was driving a white Hilux . According to Mbu , it was the pieces of papers he had gathered at the scene of crime that led to their arrest . That was how the dare devilry gang who had also killed the brother of a former Military President was wiped out and the Highway became safe .
FURTHER POSTINGS
Later ACP Mbu was moved from Suleja to Delta State Command in South South Nigeria , where he served as Area Commander , Delta Central , Ughelli , in charge of 18 Divisions . From there he was transferred to Anambra state in the early years of the Movement for the Survival Of the Sovereign State of Biafra – MASSOB. He served as ACP Admin with a crop of very fine officers like late CP Haruna John who later rose to become DIG , and Chris Okey Ezike , his course mate , who was head of the State CID.
FATHER OF MODERN POLICE EDUCATION DIRECTORATE
Soon after , Mbu was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police . When there was crises in the Nigeria Police Education Directorate , DIG Ogbonnaya Onovo , who later retired as IGP moved him to the Education Directorate as Force Education Officer . Mbu worked in the Force Education Directorate for four years , bought the land at Dei-Dei , built two structures , got consignment of books from the US for the schools and generally transformed the place to the point that till date he is still referred to as the father of the modern Nigeria Police Force Education Directorate .
When some DIGs heard that the Inspector General of Police , MD Abubakar was about moving him from the FED ,they went and pleaded with the IGP to allow Mbu remain . The IGP laughed . He was quoted as saying , “ Mbu has fixed the FED for me , I have another area of rot for him to clear.” The following week , Mbu resumed work as Commissioner of Police , Mobile Force . That was February 2012. Six months later MD Abubakat posted him to Oyo state to resume as CP , Oyo state Police Command . Then the controversies began and Mbu started hitting headlines in torrents .
MORE BATTLES AND CONTROVERSIES
MBU was very sad at his posting to Oyo state where early in his posting he began to have a cold war with the late Senator Isaq Ajumobi , then executive governor of Oyo state . Ajumobi had created Operation Burst , a joint task force , to tackle insecurity in the state . It was headed by an army officer but 85% of the personnel were from the Nigeria Police Force . Mbu complained about the leadership of Operation Burst but no one listened so he withdrew the men and rebranded the Operation Burst Hilux Vehicles with the Nigeria Police colour and inscribed on them , Donated By The Oyo State Government .
The matter came up in the State’s Executive Council Meeting , where Mbu pointedly told the the army GOC to go fight in sambisa forest and leave police work alone , except he was invited if the police was overwhelmed , as demanded by law while he told the naval officer to go face pirates in the waters. He told them that he was on top of the security situation in Oyo state .
Governor Ajumobi adjusted in his seat . The other service chiefs dropped their gaze . Ajumobi , knowing the precarious security situation in Oyo state , was not too pleased with the stance of the CP . Mbu returned to the Police headquarters in Enweran , Ibadan and told them if the situation continued the way it was with the police being undermined by the Oyo state government , he would return to Abuja . This quiet threat filtered into the ears of Ajumobi . The governor went down to Enweran and demanded a private session with Mbu.
“They said you want to leave ,” the governor asked him .
“Yes, Your Excellency , Mbu responded.
“Do you know why you are here?” the governor continued.
“ No sir,” Mbu responded .
Ajumobi looked at the CP in the eyes , and lowering his voice , he said , “ I met the IGP and told him I was tired of the CPs he was posting to me because they were all collecting money from previous governors who had served the state while the job suffered. I told him I needed a Commissioner who would do his work professionally without differing to me. The IGP promised to give me his very best. That is why you are here my brother. Don’t go, we will work together.“
Mbu reclined in his chair . It was as if the wind went off his pipe . He never knew all of this . Why did MD Abubakar trust him so much ? Earlier in the year , during the governorship election in Edo State , the IGP had sent him as COMPOL Mopol ,along with other officers on election duty . The allowances for all the officers from the rank of CSP down was computed and it amounted to Fifty Million Naira . The IGP gave the money to Mbu. After paying the allowances Mbu realized that a whopping sum of Twenty Million Naira was still left . Against every expectations , Mbu returned the money and paid it back to the police treasury and collected receipt . Mbu looked at the governor , slowly released his breathe and promised , “Okay Your Excellency , we shall work together .
Then , there was the case of Auxillary and Tokyo , two leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers , in Ibadan who declared Mbu wanted on pages of newspapers for daring to declare them wanted for refusing to honour police invitation . Evidently , they called the shots in Ibadan . They were the Lords of the Manor and thus untouchable .. But soon after , Mbu got Tokyo and Auxillary in handcuffs, paraded , charged to them to court and prosecuted for crimes they committed against the state and they were convicted . .
After this governor Ajumobi told Mbu that the Alafin of Oyo was not in talking terms with him because of one Asipa who was contending with the Alafin of Oyo . After studying the legal papers and court judgements and seeing that the Alafin was the rightful occupier of the throne , Mbu picked his phone and called the Asipa . “ I am according you respect as an elder but if after five days you don’t vacate that place , I will come and throw you out .” . The man quit in three days .
THE STORM IN RIVERS STATE
Four months down the line , Mbu had put all the criminals in Ibadan to flight . In conjunction with the banks , he had fixed the nine abandoned Armoured Personnel Carriers in the state . He bought some vehicles for the use of the DCPs and ACPs and completely remodelled the abandoned CP’s quarters , even before the governor knew what was happening and came in to assist financially . On December 24, 2012 ,during the state executive council meeting , the governor enthused , “Gentlemen , this is Christmas and for the first time in years there has not been a single robbery incident in Oyo state , please let’s commend the CP. “
In March 2013 , the Oyo state House of Assembly would hold a special commendation session for CP Mbu for the the peace and security witnessed in the state under him as Commissioner of Police . But alas, the authorities had whisked Mbu off to Rivers state Police Command , as CP Rivers state.
This was the saddest moment in his entire police career . Just as he was about settling down in his first posting as the CP of a state Police Command ,the call came at midnight from someone at Force Headquarters, Abuja : “ You have been transferred to Rivers State . “
Mbu pretended he didn’t hear . One week later , another call came at the same midnight .
“Where are you? “
“ I am at Ibadan “, Mbu responded.
“ Doing what ? , the other voice cracked at the other end , then it continued , “If you’re not in Port Harcourt by 8am tomorrow , you will be issued query.” The line went dead .
You don’t tell a deaf man that the market is over, he has eyes to see . Mbu called up his boys . By 4am they left Ibadan . He was lucky to see a 6:30am flight at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport . At 7:30am he was at the airport in Omagwa , Port Harcourt where he met Habila , the DCP ‘ Ops. How did they know he was coming ! But no , Habila was there with his men to receive Nigeria’s first lady, Dame Dr. Patience Jonathan.. Mbu quickly looked for a place and changed into police uniform to welcome the first lady . But in political circles in Rivers state , the Governor , His Excellency Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his team didn’t see this as a coincidence . They believed Mbu came with Patience from Abuja .that informed the way he related to the CP with suspicion .
FOCUS AND CHARACTER
Mbu was hitting the headlines everyday for very wrong narratives spewed to the media by agents of the Rivers State Government causing South West governors, since Amaechi had defected to APC , to visit the state to assess the situation . But Governor Ajumobi who knew Mbu too well refused to make comments . After this , a Senate fact finding team visited the state . They found nothing against Mbu . But the malicious publications continued . At some point , it was alleged that Mbu was personally torturing Chidi Lloyd inside the cell at the State CID and that Chidi was going blind . Chidi Lloyd was the Majority Leader at the Rivers state House of Assembly .
He had injured a fellow legislator with the mace during a House fracas , for which he was arrested . Two reporters from The Independent and Newswatch went to the state CID and saw Hon. Chidi Lloyd being massaged with Aboniki in an office , with air conditioner on. He was never put in cell The following morning this scoop hit headline news in the two national dailies and exposed the lies that the state government was feeding 15 journalists to tell against Mbu . No one believed the papers again and Mbu had some respite . But MD Abubakar pulled him out again to the Federal Capital Territory as CP , FCT.
Rivers state was a war front for CP Mbu . But despite all the distractions , he remained focused . He got NDDC to build six blocks of three bedroom flats for ACPs and DCPs. He repaired the abandoned APCs in the state , refurbished several abandoned police vehicles , put criminals and cultists to flight , earned Award as Best Crime Bursting Police Chief in West Africa , in Johannesburg , South Africa . The Rivers state Police Command under him was given the Award of Best Police Command in Nigeria .
WHY DIDN’T YOU BRING ME MBU SINCE
The FCT Minister , Bala Mohammed , now governor of Bauchi state, was very crossed with IGP MD Abubakar for sending such a “controversial “ officer like Mbu to the FCT Police Command .
The IGP asked the Minister to exercise patience . Two months later , Bala Mohammed picked his phone and called the IGP , “ Why didn’t you give me Mbu all this while .”
Mbu changed the narrative in the FCT . Before him , every CP sent to the FCT would be given Ten Million Naira from the Ministry for accommodation . Mbu rejected the money . He got reflective vests from China for the Traffic Police , thoroughly downgraded crime in the FCT and was given commendation letter by IGP Suleiman Abba while his achievements and innovative policing acts were transmitted to his colleagues across the state Commands to emulated him .
LAST TEST
Mbu was later promoted to the rank of AIG and posted to Zone 7 , covering FCT , Kaduna and Niger state Police Commands as at then . From there he was moved to Zone 2 , Onikan ,Lagos in January 2015 , covering Lagos and Ogun state Police Commands . There , hell broke loose . The APC and media queried the transfer of Mbu to Zone 2. They said he was posted to rig elections for Goodluck Jonathan . However, they would soon be proved wrong .
Records showed that the election in Lagos in 2015 was the freest and fairest since 1999 and the only election where no one died . Mbu was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria , CRAN. He received Award for Ethical Policing and Professionalism in Accra , Ghana , Goldstar Award in Houston Texas Integrity Award from the Police Community Relations Committee and again received another Commendation letter from IGP Suleiman Abba . The IGP equally transmitted his achievements to .his colleagues to emulate .
TIME TO REST
After the elections in 2015 , Mbu told the new IGP Solomon Arase that he needed a posting where he could have some rest . He suggested the elite Police Staff College , in Jos , as Commandant . Arase obliged him . Shortly after ,AIG Ibrahim Kpotum was appointed Inspector General of Police from the rear and 21 AIGs who were ahead of him were retired unceremoniously.
WHY I AM THANKING GOD .
The retirement came as a rude shock . Mbu still had close to two years to retire from service . He had had turbulent postings all through his career and just as he was about to rest and wind down towards his retirement, he was flung out of service through the window . For 33 years , he ran an unblemished carrier , inspiring , mentoring and instilling discipline in subordinates , facing tough challenges squarely on behalf of the police . And this is how the police will pay him ?
He knew he had no skeletons in his cupboard and nothing to fear . His record of service was without blemish . In 2017, he sued the Police Service Commission . Today , he is happily retired as Deputy Inspector General of Police , Mbu Joseph Mbu , holder of both the Nigeria Police Medal and the rare honour of the Nigeria Police Medal of Courage , passed staff college and became Commandant of the Staff College. The only AIG to have served Nigeria’s previous and present Capitals . He looked at all those years and said it would not have been possible without God . He says of himself , “ I achieved nothing , I received everything from God so what you call achievement , I call it receivement because you cannot have anything except you receive it from God . That is why I am thanking God . “
Mbu has scheduled a thanksgiving service , at the Apostolic Church on January 30, 2026 , at his hometown , to honour God for his years in the Nigeria Police Force , for God making it possible for him to be promoted DIG in a place he had once been rejected and for being alive to witness it.
Rtd. DIG Mbu Joseph Mbu NPM NPMC psc psc+ , is from Abia Community in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State . He is happily married with children .
Amb. Austen Yong , publisher and public affairs analyst is a close associate of the retired DIG .
The post Why I am thanking God — Rtd. DIG Mbu Joseph Mbu appeared first on Vanguard News.
