The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, said on Tuesday that he did not order the raid on the residence of Chief Edwin Clark.
The Force also said they were unaware of the raid on the Abuja residence of the elder statesman. The Police also said the IG has ordered the immediate detention of the four policemen and the informant involved in the raid.
The Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood in a statement in Abuja also stated that the IG has asked the IGP Monitoring Unit to investigate the raid.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a report on vanguard online publication of 4th September, 2018 credited to one Henry Umoru claiming that the Police on Tuesday raided the Abuja residence of Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
“The Force wishes to categorically state that, the Inspector General of Police is not aware and did not order the raid of the residence of the Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark as claimed by the writer of the story.
“Consequently, the Inspector General of Police has directed the detention and investigation of the four Police personnel and the informant involved.” The Force promised that the outcome of the investigation will be made public.
Moshood also stated that the Force would not condone any form of misconduct by its personnel.
“Notwithstanding, the facts that on daily basis the Nigeria Police Force across the Country receives information from members of the public which were promptly used to prevent and detect crimes and Criminalities, the Force will not condone misconduct by any of its personnel that can run contrary to the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, condemnation has trailed the reported storming of the Asokoro, Abuja home of Ijaw national leader and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark.
Chief Clark’s home was reportedly ransacked on Tuesday by some Police personnel, allegedly on the instructions of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris.
Condemning what it described as a humiliation and traumatization of the 91-year old former Federal Commissioner of Information, PANDEF, in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Dr Alfred Mulade, gave the federal government a 48-hour ultimatum to provide an explanation to the action of the police.
“PANDEF condemns this very barbaric act which is tantamount to state terrorism and total disregard for his fundamental human rights and complete disregard for established traditional respect for age and national service.
“PANDEF insists that Chief EK Clark remains a symbol of our national unity and a leading voice in our search for equity, fairness and justice. PANDEF therefore strongly condemns this unwarranted action against one of the country’s leading statesmen by the Nigerian Police.
“We hereby call on the Federal Government to thoroughly investigate and offer explanation, within the next 48 hours, this barbaric action against one of the fathers of this nation, in such a brazing manner,” said.
In its own reaction, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the security agencies to order before they plunged the nation into an irreversible crisis, even as it called on all other relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian project to come to the aid of the country.
According to a statement signed by its President, Oweilaemi Pereotubo, democracy cannot survive without opposing views, noting that a person of Chief Clark’s status and contribution to the Nigerian project should not be expected to be cowed I to silence when he has views to express.
“Relevant stakeholders need to rise in defence of our hard earned democracy. President Buhari should call his overbearing security agencies to order before they plunge the country into an unmitigated crisis. There can be no democracy where there is no dissent voice.
“Mr. President should accept that our democracy cannot exist without opposition elements to his government. Chief Clarke is an elder statesman, his views on national issues needs to be appreciated by the government of the day instead of being witch hunting,” said.