Police dismiss 3 officers who raided Clark’s home, but Nigerians ask for more

For carrying out an unauthorized raid on the Abuja home of Chief Edwin Clark, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has approved the dismissal from the service of the Nigeria Police Force, three inspectors involved in the raid.

It would be recalled that a team of policemen, comprising of one Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP and three Inspectors, stormed the Asokoro District home of Chief Clark, an elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner of Information on the ground that they were searching for arms and ammunition kept by the Ijaw leader.

According to a statement by the Police Spokesman, DCP Jimoh Moshood, the ASP, David Dominic is still undergoing investigation and would face his own appropriate punishment.

Those dismissed are Inspectors Godwin Musa with service number: AP/No. 18858, Sada Abubakar with AP/No. 225812 and Yabo Paul with AP/No. 225828.

However, a number of Nigerians have questioned the dismissal of the three officers, wondering how the police was so quick to act as against when other citizen’s rights were abuses by police operatives.
A twitter user, Anthony A.O, @raytony001 accused the police of employing double standards to deal with Nigerians based on their social status.

Read also: Group picks N45m APC presidential form for Buhari

“Power sweet o! While the police have sat on their hands and watch police commit crimes against humanity against ordinary citizens, they moved speedily to dismiss officers who went to search the house of a powerful man.

Stop the double standard and treat all citizens fairly”, he tweeted in response to the police announcement.

Moshood said in the statement that the dismissed officers 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 4th September, 2018.”

The statement reads in part: ”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.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

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