- Clark called for the interrogation of the leaders of the various communities involved in the incident
Elder statesman and leader of the Ijaw Nation, Edwin Clark says he does not believe that those behind the gruesome killing of sixteen soldiers in Delta State are mercenaries.
Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, had on Tuesday during a plenary session at the red chamber opined that the attack might have been carried out by mercenaries from outside the Niger-Delta.
Reacting to the number three citizen claim, Clark said it was difficult to share Akpabio’s sentiment on the matter.
Speaking on the incident during an interview on Arise Television, Clark called for the interrogation of the leaders of the various communities involved in the incident, adding that nobody should get a preferential treatment.
He stated that as a son of the soil he would do everything to make sure the matter did not degenerate into intercommunal conflicts.
He said: “Well that is difficult to believe. I don’t think we should expect this thing. Let’s look at ourselves. As I said, I spoke to the Lt Col on Thursday and he went to the place on Thursday and died.
“Except they had information they were going to Okuama. Otherwise, nobody knew they were going there.
“People to come from outside to waylay them, to surround them is a matter they should investigate. We can’t rule anything out but at the same time let us look at ourselves.
“The leaders of the various communities must be brought together, and find out from them, nobody should be treated as a sacred cow.
“I may say this: I am an Ijaw man and I will be the last person to allow this type of matter to degenerate to a situation whereby we have intercommunal fracas or fight”.