Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Elder statesman and leader of the South- South region, Chief Edwin Clark, has revealed the identity of the top police officers involved in the raiding of his Abuja residence, on Tuesday.
The erstwhile Information Minister, who is demanding for a full investigation into the matter, named the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Kolo, Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tactical Squad and Assistant Inspector General of Police (Federal Intelligence), Umoru Usman, as those who instructed the raid and search on his residence.
This was contained in two separate petitions addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (rtd).
In the petitions with reference No KACCL/PET/KA/76/18 and dated September 6, 2018 signed by his lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, Clark said though he has accepted the public apology from the police, he wanted the matter to be thoroughly investigated.
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Armed policemen had, on Tuesday, invaded and ransacked the Asokoro residence of Chief Clark on information that the former South-South senator was stock-piling arms in his house.
In the said petitions, the 92-year-old nonagenarian wondered why the police authorities, who are in the know of the masterminds and conspirators of the invasion, are going after the four junior officers who were merely carrying out instructions from their superiors.
The petition reads in part; “Our Client did brief us that at about 12:30p.m on Tuesday, the 4th day of September, 2018, officers and men of the IGP Tactical Squad (a unit under the direct command of the Inspector General of Police) alongside pressmen invaded and ransacked his Asokoro residence on the pretext that they were in search of arms and ammunition.
“However, despite the siege and search, they found nothing incriminating on our Client.
“Our client further briefed us and we confirmed that at the point where officers and men of the IGP Tactical Squad were to commence their search having introduced themselves, stating that they were acting under the instructions of the Inspector General of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police Yusuf Kolo as their commander. Ambassador Boladei Igali (Former SSG Bayelsa State and former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Power) who was with our client at venue of the search put a call through to Assistant Inspector General of Police (Federal Intelligence) Umoru Usman Shehu who spoke with the leader of the search party and gave authority to go ahead with the search.
“Having so searched in vain, the Inspector General of Police in the face of the impudent search conducted on the property of our Client, has publicly denied any knowledge of the said search and has immediately ordered the arrest of the four (4) junior officers who were responsible for the search and tendered a public apology to our Client.
“Taking into the consideration the circumstances of the invasion and uncivilised search conducted on his property, and the attendant embarrassment caused to our client and what he stands for, it is imperative to hold the view that there are serious questions which ought to be determined forthwith and without mincing words.
“It will be rather unfortunate for junior officers and men of the IGP Tactical squad who were at best acting on the orders of their superiors to fall prey in this regard.
“It beats our Client’s imagination that despite the fact that our Client has the compliments of the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Services protecting him, his property, and overseeing his daily activities, such level of conspiracy could be perpetuated against him.
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“He wonders what exactly warranted such unfounded suspicion on his person to the extent that a search warrant could be procured against him on the demeaning allegation that he is involved in gun running.
“It is public knowledge that our Client has been a frontline advocate against taking up of arms by the youths of the Niger-Delta and he has been responsible for brokering peace between the Niger-Delta and several administrations in Nigeria, in leading the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), our client has join other stakeholders to put a halt to youth restiveness and wanton destruction of oil pipelines in the region and ultimately restore peace, thereby increasing production of Nigeria’s sustenance in oil production and encouraging foreign participation, however the invasion of his Asokoro-Abuja residence has since fanned wrong embers, caused uproar and pandemonium in the Niger-Delta of which our clients and others have been assiduously working to curtail.
“Our client appreciates unreserved double apologies by the Nigerian Police; the first which was conveyed by the delegation of the IGP lead by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Habila Joshak (Operations), Assistant Inspector General of Police, David Ogbodo (Legal), Commissioner of Police Abu Sani (IGP Monitoring Unit) and Commissioner of Police of FCT and the second which was publicly tendered on behalf of the Nigerian Police Force by the Force PRO Deputy Commissione of Police, Jimoh Moshood.
“While our Client accept the apologies, it is his sole demand that this case be comprehensively probed and thoroughly investigated to fish out all the conspirators who masterminded the invasion of his residence without due cause.”