I Spoke To The Lt Col, He Went There And Died- Edwin Clark Counters Akpabio

Elder statesman and leader of the Ijaw Nation, Edwin Clark, has countered Senate President, Godswill Akpabio’s claim over the killings of soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State.

Clark dismissed the notion of mercenaries being involved in the soldiers’ killings in the Okuama community in Ughelli South local government area of Delta state last week.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Akpabio said that those who committed the crime were mercenaries and were not from Niger Delta.

However, while fielding questions on Arise Television’s News programme on Tuesday night, Clark insisted that the leaders of the various communities involved in the incident must be questioned, stressing that nobody should be treated as a sacred cow.

Clark also suggested that the military, along with leaders of the communities, should work together to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.

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.”