Ascertain If A Mere Report By A Taxi Driver Was Enough To Act On – Clark Queries, Says How Did They Obtained Warrant Of Search Same Day? 

South South Leader and Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark has queried the rationale behind the search of his Abuja home.

The search which was authorized by a senior police officer was conducted over “a mere report by a Taxi driver”, according to him.

The police also obtained a Warrant of search from the Court same day in a yet to be ascertained way.

The Ijaw foremost leader spoke when he received former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state, at his residence in Abuja, on Friday.

In a statement, he later issued explaining what transpired on that date, obtained by BigPen Online, Clark said that merely sacking the officers concerned who were carrying out official instructions was not enough.

According to him, for the seek of justice and fairness, the young Officers who invaded his came residence, must not be made scape-goats.

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He demanded for a full investigation and all those involved brought to book.

Clark said, it is important to ascertain if a mere Report by a Taxi driver was enough to act on, saying, how was the Warrant of search obtained from the Court same day?

“I have considered it necessary, at this point, to personally issue this Statement following the events which have happened in the past few days beginning with the most disturbing and embarrassing entry and search of my Abuja house by some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Let me recapitulate that, on that day, that is, Tuesday, 4th September, 2018, at about 12:30pm, the Police Officers in question, from the IGP Special Tactical Squad, under the command of one Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kolo Yusuf, arrived my residence in two vehicles, one 18-seater Toyota Hiace Bus and a Toyota Hilux with registration number EU 979 ABC.

“Some of them were outside the gate armed, while three of them came inside and presented to me a Warrant for Search duly issued by a Court of competent jurisdiction. As a law-abiding Citizen, a father of this Country, and a Lawyer of more than 53 years in practice, I dutifully cooperated and permitted them to carry out their official duties.

“I, however, left them in no doubt of who I am, and questioned if they still wanted to proceed with their official assignment of searching my entire residence for so-called stock-pile of weapons and ammunitions from the Niger Delta.

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“The officers in question, led by ASP David Aku, diligently and painstainkingly carried out their duties, for about two hours, including searching the private quarters of my wife. I should mention that, while the search was on going, one of my sons, the former Federal Permanent Secretary and also former Secretary to Bayelsa State Government, Ambassador Boladei Igali, who had been with me made telephone contact with one AIG Shehu, who is in charge of Intelligence in the Nigeria Police Force. The AIG (Intelligence) spoke with the Officers, but did not stop them from carrying out their duties.

“They, however, accorded me and all members of my family and visitors present, all due courtesies and respect.

“At the end of the Search, they prepared a Report on their Findings, confirming that nothing incriminating, including weapons and ammunitions, were found, and that nothing was being taken away by them. This Report we all jointly signed. Thereafter, my staff accompanied them to their Office, to obtain a copy of the Report, after they had reported to one of their principal, by name DSP Ibrahim Agu, who confirmed that the operation was official.

“In the evening of the same day, the high command led by DIG Joshak Habilla, including the AIG (Legal), the FCT Police Commissioner, and two other Commissioners of Police, met with me at about 10pm, and conveyed the apologies of the Inspector-General of Police.
They explained further that the matter would be fully investigated and appropriate action taken against all who were involved in the incidence which they described as unfortunate.

“Against this backdrop, I will like to state as follows:

“My profound gratitude to all, from far and wide, both national and international over the great show of empathy since the news came to the public domain;

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“As a father of the nation, now at the age of nearly 92 years, state that I have accepted the apology from the Police authorities, which has now been made public as I demanded;
State that, for the upholding of justice and fairness, the young Officers who came to my residence, must not be made scape-goats.

“Merely sacking the officers concerned, when they were indeed carrying out official instructions, is not enough, if we are to avert such occurrences in future.

“The incident, must, therefore, be fully investigated and all those involved brought to book. In this respect, it is important to ascertain if a mere Report by a Taxi driver was enough to act on, how was the Warrant of search obtained from the Court same day? Why did the very senior Police Officer, whose attention was called, unable to stop the action while it was on-going?

“Call on all my good friends around the country, especially the youths of the Niger Delta, many of whom have expressed their great displeasure, to maintain calm, and allow the authorities to get to the bottom of the matter”.