•Ex- commissioner tells IG to call police commissioner to order
The political crisis in Taraba State worsened at the weekend following the arrest of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Danbaba Suntai on Media and Publicity, Mr. Silvanus Giwa, by the police.
Giwa was arrested along with four others on Friday at about 10:30p.m in Jalingo –the state capital.
One of the detainees, Hamidu Ali, a lawyer, who with his friends –including Giwa – were holding a valedictory session for him, was billed to leave for Mecca yesterday. The trip was, however, aborted because of his arrest.
The detainees were still in police custody when The Nation correspondent visited the Taraba State Police Command, Jalingo yesterday.
Asked what their crime was, the governor's aide said he was only told that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jubril Adeniji, ordered his arrest.
It was gathered that the commissioner allegedly acted on the orders of the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar.
"I don't know why I am here; I don't know my offence," Giwa said while fielding questions from newsmen at the State Command yesterday.
However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the deputy governor, Mr. Kefas Sule, denied that Umar has a hand in Giwa's arrest and detention. "It is not true," he said.
He said he met with the deputy governor who said he unaware of the arrest. He added that a security meeting was arranged for the police commissioner to brief Umar on the arrest.
Police Spokesman, Joseph Kwaji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) told The Nation that he could not comment on the arrest.
The Nation learnt that Giwa's arrest is not unconnected with his statement on Thursday in which he debunked claims by the Deputy Governor he (Umar) was 100 percent loyal to his principal, Governor Danbaba Suntai.
Umar had said: "I make bold to declare to you that I am loyal to my boss, brother and friend. I have not engaged myself in anything to undermine his authority."
Umar spoke at the Executive Chamber of Government House at a meeting with local government council chairmen and traditional rulers.
But Giwa on Thursday had said Suntai and other residents have lost the confidence they reposed in Umar because he has betrayed them.
He said: "His (Umar's) activities are a direct opposite of what he keeps saying."
Reacting to Giwa's arrest, former Commissioner of Information, Emmanuel Bello, described the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jubril Adeniji, as the acting governor's agent of intimidation.
He said in a statement,"The arrest, torture and continuous detention last night of Governor Danbaba Suntai's media aide by the police is the latest proof of the return of jungle justice and a reign of terror in Taraba under Alhaji Garba Umar."
He accused the deputy governor of disloyalty running an illegal government.
A lawyer, Ibrahim Effiong, has described as "unconstitutional," the arrest of Giwa. He urged the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jubril Adeniji, who is also a lawyer, not to be used for cheap political business.
Quoting Section 35(3) of the Constitution, Effiong noted that "the police ought to have informed Giwa in writing and in a language he understands, on the grounds and facts of his arrest within 24hours," failure to which, he said, amounted to "impunity."
