Police deny using tear gas to disperse teachers in Port Harcourt
(Nigeria) The police in Rivers State on Thursday denied allegations
that it used tear gas to disperse newly recruited teachers at the Liberation
Stadium, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Mbu, said at a news
briefing that over 18,000 people had thronged the stadium to collect their
appointment letters.
``The police did not tear gas new teachers; over 18,000
people thronged the Liberation Stadium. They were deceived to come and collect
their letters of appointment.
``When they got there, sheets of cardboard were handed over
to them and they were told to write: `Amaechi for Vice-President’; `Goodluck
Jonathan, respect your agreement’.
``Some of the good ones among them called me, saying `Oga,
something is about to happen here; it is not about appointment letters; there
is more to it.
``We are being given placards to write,’’ the police chief
quoted them as saying.
Mbu said that when a lady (who he did not identify), called
that ministry of education; she was told that the letters were not ready.
He also denied some allegations that he was a cultist.
It will be recalled that the state government in July
employed about 13,000 teachers and gave them letters of appointment.
Besides, Mbu said that Bishop Ignatius Kattey, the Anglican
Archbishop of Niger Delta Diocese, who was recently kidnapped and released, was
aware that he called a series of press conferences prior to his release.
Kattey had alleged at a press conference that he was not
rescued by the police, contrary to the claims of the police.
Mbu said that as soon as the cleric was released, the
divisional police officer in charge of Eleme visited him about four times,
alleging that Kattey refused to see him.
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