A member of the Waru Traditional Council of the Apo District, Abuja, Ismail Yakubu, has narrated how he got the false information that there were arms in the Abuja residence of Chief Edwin Clark, and reported same to the Police.
His false information led to the infamous search on Tuesday of Chief Clark’s Abuja home, forcing the Police to apologise to the elder statesman.
Yakubu’s story while being paraded on Wednesday by the Police: “The point is that I was going to Asokoro on Monday exactly 4pm. I was called to come and receive a message at the back of ECOWAS. I took a taxi from Apo roundabout.
“When we were on our way, I was in front and two other passengers were in the car. I noticed that the whole street was blocked and then I began to ask questions to know what was happening.”
“It was then the taxi man said the street is where the Niger Delta people are living. I probed further to know why the road was blocked and rowdy. He then pointed out to me to see the truck entering the compound, the compound was House 43. The truck was a white Hilux van and it was sealed. The driver said the road was blocked because the van was trying to enter the compound.
“The driver said the van was filled with ammunition. As an indigene of the FCT and hearing the information. I thought to myself that why ammunition in the FCT because residents of the FCT are peace-loving people. I said I cannot take that. I asked how sure he was and he said he was sure and that was why the whole area was blocked.
“On Tuesday morning, I met Inspector Sada and I narrated what I saw. I told him that I got the information from a taxi man. I told him the address and they went there to investigate.”
In a statement earlier, the Police maintained that though it had the statutory right to execute a duly obtained search warrant in any premises where it has actionable intelligence or information, it had to be properly done.
It however added, “Any officer who is to carry out the execution of search warrant must follow the laid down procedures within the law. Where such is not followed, such an officer must be made to face the consequences of violating the rule of law.”
The statement by its spokesman, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Moshood, listed the names of the Police Officers involved in the unauthorised raid on Clark’s home. They are ASP David Dominic, and Inspectors Godwin Musa, Sada Abubakar and Yabo Paul.
Moshood said ASP Dominic who led the team has been queried and the three Inspectors are undergoing orderly room trial for the appropriate punishment to be meted out to them.