By Akinwale Kasali
The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has sent a strong signal to the Military, saying that they will be held responsible if anything happens to elder statesman, Edwin Clark.
Clark’s country home in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State was invaded by the Military last week, leading to the reaction of the IYC Nationwide.
IYC described the military invasion as “a great insult on the Ijaw people and highly condemnable,” regretted that the action is not only embarrassing to the personality of Pa Clark, but the highest level of disrespect to the elderly.
Binebai Princewill, Spokesman to IYC Worldwide, at a Press Briefing said, “The IYC has always tasked the military to work strictly with intelligence and not to go out of the rules of engagements. We are in a democratic era and not a purely military regime.
“The invasion and destruction of properties at Pa Clark’s House in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State on Saturday is a great insult on the Ijaw people and is highly condemnable.
“We are yet to know the offense he has committed against the Nigerian government and military that will lead to this kind of attack on his house. This is not only embarrassing to the personality of Pa Clark but the highest level of disrespect to the elderly.
“Pa Clark has diligently served this country as a Senator and a first republican minister of information. He is aged 97 as of now and has been one of the strongest pillars of unity in Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. He is the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF. To even think that he will be harbouring criminal elements in his house is the greatest slap on his face and that of the Niger Delta people.
“Let us make this clear, nobody is stopping the military from carrying out their duties to flush out criminal elements, what we are saying is that they should work with credible intelligence so that the innocent people will not pay for a sin they did not commit. Now that nothing incriminating was found at Pa Clark’s residence, how will the military now pay for the damage caused on the personality of the nonagenerian ?
“Same way in 2018 that the Abuja residence of Pa Clark was invaded by officers and found nothing incriminating. Today another one has happened, what is really happening in this country, what is the offense of our father Pa Clark to the military?. Even in the Northern part of the country that there has been serious battles between the Federal Government of Nigeria, Boko Haram, Herdsmen and Banditry that have held sway for years now, we are yet to see any form of invasion carried out on the residence of highly respected Northern elders either in their states or Abuja. This is really too much for us as a people.
“Considering the roles played by prominent Ijaw sons and daughters from late Jasper Adaka Boro, late Harold Dapabiriye, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Chief Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpomupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, King Michael Ateke Tom with the host of several others too numerous to mention in Nigeria, no ethnic group or group of persons can ever claim to love Nigeria more than the Ijaws. We are beginning to wonder on why the attacks on the Ijaw people at every slightest opportunity and what they intend to achieve with all these.
“ Finally, the Ijaw Youth Council will hold the Nigerian Military responsible if anything happens to our father, Chief Dr. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark. Nigeria is not a banana republic where people do things the way they want, people must obey democratic principles and must operate within the ambit of the law.”
