Three Nigerian police officers have been sacked and another one suspended over the “unauthorised” raid of Edwin Clark’s house in Abuja on Tuesday, the Force Headquarters said Thursday.
Mr Clark’s home in Asokoro neighbourhood was reportedly stormed by officers in the afternoon. The officers reportedly said they were hunting for illicit weapons which the elder statesman allegedly stockpiled at his residence.
Mr Clark denied the allegations and demanded an immediate apology. Inspector-General Ibrahim Idris immediately distanced himself from the raid and sent top-level police officers, including a deputy inspector-general, to apologise to Mr Clark at his residence.
The 91-year-old said he had accepted the apology, but expressed strong doubts that the men who carried out the raid were unauthorised.
As messages of outrage and condemnation poured in on Wednesday morning, the police announced that three inspectors were already facing orderly room trial for their roles in the raid. A fourth officer, who is an assistant superintendent of police and the most-senior of the four, was queried and is now said to be on suspension, according to a statement released shortly after 2:00 p.m. by police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood.
Mr Moshood, an acting deputy police commissioner, said the informant whom the police blamed for providing false information to the officer had been charged to court. The police said the officers were misled into conducting the raid by the informant, but said they failed to carry out their due diligence before acting on the tip-off, which now backfired.
Read the full statement by the police below:
PRESS RELEASE
DISMISSAL FROM SERVICE OF THREE (3) OF THE POLICE PERSONNEL AND INTERDICTION OF THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE INVOLVED IN THE UNAUTHORIZED, ILLEGAL AND UNPROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT IN THE SEARCH OF ELDER STATESMAN, CHIEF EDWIN CLARK’S RESIDENCE IN ASOKORO, ABUJA ON THE 4th OF SEPTEMBER, 2018.
The Inspector General of Police has approved the dismissal from the service of the Nigeria Police Force, three (3) Inspectors namely: (i) AP/No. 18858 Inspr Godwin Musa (ii) AP/No. 225812 Inspr Sada Abubakar and (iii) AP/No. 225828 Inspr Yabo Paul, and the immediate interdiction of AP. No 158460 ASP David Dominic who were involved in the unauthorized, illegal and unprofessional misconduct in the search of the residence of Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark in Asokoro, Abuja on 4thSeptember, 2018.
2. Ap. No. 158460 ASP David Dominic was queried and being investigated for Discreditable Conduct, Negligence of Duty and an Act unbecoming of a Police officer which constitute Serious Misconduct and if not checked can be inimical to the image of the Nigeria Police Force and violation of fundamental human rights of the Elder Statesman as provided for in the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended. The gravity of the offences against the officer is serious in nature and dismissal from service is imminent.
3. Consequently, the Inspector General of Police approved that AP. No 158460 ASP David Dominic, be on interdiction from Service pending the determination of his case by the Police Service Commission.
4. The IGP also approved and upheld the dismissal from service of (i) AP/No. 18858 Inspr Godwin Musa (ii) AP/No. 225812 Inspr Sada Abubakar and (iii) AP/No. 225828 Inspr Yabo Paul, after the trio were tried under Oath in Orderly Room Trial for Discreditable Conduct, Illegal duty, Disobedience to Lawful Order and other misconduct contrary to the Rule of Law.
5. The suspect (Informant) Ismail Yakubu from Waru Village, Apo District, Abuja, has been charged to Upper Area Court Mpape, Abuja for giving false information and telling falsehood that misled Police action.
Ag. DCP JIMOH MOSHOOD
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS