Raid on Edwin Clark’s Home: IGP Idris on fire!

BY DAMOLA EMMANUEL

Tuesday’s police raid on the Abuja home of South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has continued to attract sharp reactions from interest groups across the country.

Major among the groups that rose in stout condemnation of the invasion were Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Middle Belt Forum and Northern Elders Forum.

They issued a joint statement slamming the police and describing the incident as a shameful act.

The statement, which was signed by Yinka Odumakin, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, Dr. Isuwa Dogo,  and   Dr Junaid Mohammed, reads: “The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum is flabbergasted by the gestapo-like raid on the  Abuja home of 91-year -old elder statesman and Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum(PANDEF) ,Chief E.K. Clark, by men of the Nigerian Police, on the spurious allegation  that there were “arms and ammunition” stockpiled in the house.

“At the end of the shameful invasion of the home of the former Minister and Senator in the worst signal of Nigeria becoming a police state, the police could not find more than a kitchen knife regularly used to slice tomato and onion.

“We view the provocative search as not arising from any intelligence report but a sheer act of intimidation on a home that has served as meeting point for patriots across Nigeria who are engaged in peaceful consultations to save Nigeria from the edge of the precipice.

“The raid is a sad reminder of the era of full blown dictatorship in 1984 when the home of Chief Obafemi Awolowo was ransacked in Ikenne by solders and officials of the dreaded NSO whose conduct has only been rivalled by the DSS under Daura before he was removed when the President was on vacation abroad.

“The traumatization of Pa Clark at 91 is yet another proof that mad power has taken over our polity and its desperation now walking on four with all boundaries of decency collapsed for raw display of beastly tendencies.

“The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum demands an immediate apology to Chief Clark by the Nigerian Police whose leadership at the moment has shown serial unprofessionalism and dark-age policing.

“We want to sound it loud and clear to the administration that if the object of this intimidation is to send fear signals to patriots who are demanding better leadership for our country, it has backfired .We all counted the cost before we chose to embark on standing up for the country
“Our battle cry remains : no retreat, no surrender !”