By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday raised the alarm that men of the Nigerian Army on Saturday, invaded his country home in Kiagbodo and his father’s house in Ughelli, both in Delta State, leaving both structures heavily damaged.
Clark said this at a press conference in his Abuja residence.
He said the soldiers forcefully broke into the two residential buildings allegedly in search of fleeing perpetrators of the Okuama massacre where senior and junior military personnel were gruesomely murdered recently.
He demanded the establishment of a commission of inquiry to probe the entire incident.
Clark wondered why the Delta State Government was not being carried along in the ongoing military operation in the area, claiming that the attacks on his country homes would have been averted if the state government had been part of the exercise.
He said, “A strong commission of inquiry should be set up by the Delta State Government to find out who bears the real perpetrators of the heinous crime.”
The Ijaw national leader narrated how the destructive attacks were carried out on his home and that of his father.
He said, “At about 6pm on Saturday, 23rd March 2024, I got a telephone call from someone who identified himself as the commanding officer in the Nigerian Army, Division in Port Harcourt.
“He (the Army officer) said that a tracker of the Nigerian Army had tracked one Mr. Vote, the community chairman of Okuama community, whom the Army was looking for in respect of the killings of the 17 men of the Nigerian Army, to a house in Ughelli.
“He (the commanding officer) said he and the military men had broken into the house, and ransacked it before they were informed that the house belonged to me, that he was very sorry and apologising to me on behalf of the Army.
“In my usual way and as a leader who is expected to condone as much as possible, I accepted his apology wholeheartedly but told him that I do not own a house in Ughelli, that the house he is referring to, could be my father’s.
“I went on to sympathise with the Nigerian Army over the gruesome murder of the soldiers, an action I had condemned severally the moment I heard of it in the news.
“I assured him that we would all work within our powers to avail the security agencies with any available information that would unravel the whole thing and bring the perpetrators to book.
“We ended the discussion on a cordial note. It was not long after that, I was inundated with calls from my home, Kiagbodo, telling me how the army had invaded my country home by land and by air.
“That they came in about five trucks loaded with armed soldiers numbering between 30 and 40. They broke into my house and used their legs to break open all the doors in the compound including the security door to my sitting room which was locked because I reside in Abuja.
“At the same time, flying their drone within the premises. Some of them went to the buildings behind the main house and also broke all the doors that were locked. They matched out my staff living in those buildings, including lecturers at the university; and made them sit on bare ground.
“They also broke into my late brother, Ambassador Akporode Blessing Clark’s house; a man who served this country internationally in various capacities, including as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; as both of us share the same premises.
“They brought out his son almost naked, as the young man was taking a bath when they stormed the house. All their phones were seized. The people had to identify themselves and tell them whose house it was before they asked for my telephone number, which they said they would pass to their ‘oga’ before they all departed.
“One would have expected that at this juncture, a call could have been put to the Governor of Delta State, to inform him of what happened. I immediately called back the commanding officer to tell him of the actions of his men. And he said he was aware, and that was why he called to apologise.
“Before continuing, let me play the devil’s advocate by stating that the army may not know that the house they went to in Kiagbodo is my country home.
“However, I feel very uncomfortable concluding this recent incident with such a theory, when I recall how men of the Tactical Squad of the Nigeria Police, attached to the Office of the Inspector General of Police, on 4th September 2018, at about noon, stormed my house in Abuja in a bus load, fully armed.
“They came with a search warrant from a Magistrate Court in Abuja, bearing Mrs. Helen Clark, but with the address of my house on it, that they had come to search the house; that they had information that arms from the Niger Delta were being stockpiled there.
“I identified myself and told them that there was no one named Helen Clark, living with me in the house. I spoke with the then Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations. But they insisted on carrying out their search.
“With a very clear conscience, I allowed them to go ahead with their mission. They took their time to search every space in the compound, including my bedroom but found nothing incriminating.
“They wrote their report to that effect. I asked to be given a copy of the report, but the men who came for the search informed me that a copy could only be given to me if I went to their office.
“I detailed two persons to accompany them to their office, but they refused to give them the copy. I was told that I had to apply formally. I asked my lawyer to apply, which he did, to date, I do not have a copy of that report.
“The incident attracted a lot of attention locally and internationally. Dignitaries from everywhere trooped to my house to visit/sympathise with me.
“Some of them were former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan; former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa then governor of Delta State; Governor Seriake Dickson, then governor of Bayelsa State; the then government of Akwa Ibom State sent a delegation of six Senator.
“Those who also visited included Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere; Chief John Nnia Nwodo, then President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo; Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President General, Middlebelt Forum, and a host of others, including a journalist who called from France, asking about the incident.
“On the evening of the Police search which was seen in some quarters as life-threatening, tensions started brewing among the youths who had already started protesting in the streets, especially in the Niger Delta region.
“The then Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, dispatched a ‘high powered delegation’, of four top Police officers, led by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, to come and apologise to me, stating that the police officers who came to carry out the operation, were on an illegal assignment.
“I refused to bite that bait. There is no way the young officers would have gone to a Magistrate Court to procure a Search Warrant, to come search my house for arms. But I accepted the apology for the sake of peace, as the nation, especially the South-South region was already agitating.
“However, the condition I gave them was that the young officers who came to do a ‘job’ officially assigned to them, should not be touched.
“Now, a few days ago, on Saturday 23rd March 2024, another set of state actors, this time the Army, invaded my country home, by land and air, breaking into my house that was securely locked.
“This has gone beyond coincidence and it is giving me a source of concern. By God’s grace, I am one of the oldest men in this country today.
“On May 25, I will be 97 years old, God keeping me alive. In about seven decades of my life, I have served this nation meritoriously in different capacities. I have served in the same cabinet with persons who later became Heads of State and Presidents, both as military and civilian.”
He warned the security agencies to exercise restraints and great caution by ensuring that he died of natural causes because there could be grave consequences if his life was terminated by their actions.
Clark said, “I want to end this write-up to all concerned with what I told President Muhammadu Buhari when my security details were withdrawn that if I die today as a result of a natural occurrence, it will be a joyful celebration.
“However, if my death is linked to any dubious means by some overzealous state actors, no one can tell how far the fire will rage. This is not a threat. It is an acknowledgment of God’s mercies on me.
“Having said that, I want to appreciate the enormous responsibility on the shoulders of the Nigerian Army, who are burdened with so many internal security issues.
“It is for that reason that I want to use this medium to kindly appeal to all concerned to work assiduously to unravel what happened and bring the perpetrators to book.
“The earlier this matter is concluded the better, as it will also avail the affected communities which are almost locked down today, without adequate food and water, the chance of returning to normal life.
“I also wish to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his efforts in combatting the ravaging security issues in the land, especially as it concerns the release of some of the abducted children in Kaduna State. I employ all of us to give him the necessary cooperation. This is the only country that we have.
“Again, I call on the various state actors to let me live in peace, and treat me with the kind of respect that I deserve, having served this country, and still serving even at the age of 97 years, until when it will please the Almighty God to call me home.”
*Delta massacre: Slain soldiers for burial today
The Nigerian Army says soldiers killed in the Okuama community in Delta State are to be buried on March 27 (today) at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
This was disclosed yesterday in a statement posted on the Nigerian Army’s X handle, adding that the burial will be held by 3pm.
President Bola Tinubu is billed to be the Special Guest of Honour at the event.
At least 17 military personnel were killed by irate youths during a communal clash over a land dispute in Bomadi and Okuoma communities in the state.
According to the report, the personnel attached to the 181 Amphibious Battalion were responding to a distress call when they were ambushed and killed.
After the killing, there were reports that the military was planning a reprisal attack on the communities involved.
However, denying the allegation, the Defence headquarters slammed the community and stressed that no amount of propaganda would stop culprits from being nabbed.
While the Defence Headquarters vowed that there would be injurious consequences, it released the names of the Army personnel who were killed during a peace mission to Okuama.
