Release My Son Now Or Face War..Edwin Clark Warns Kidnappers

 

The Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday squared up to his son’s kidnappers who are demanding N60 million for their victim to be released.

He warned the kidnappers to release Ebikeme, a politician, forthwith and unconditionally or ‘face war’.

Counsel to the elder Clark, Mr. Dockson Bekederemo, said by phone yesterday that the family resolved not to pay a dime as ransom to the kidnappers.

He said the family’s decision has already been made clear to the kidnappers whose identities, according to him, are already known.

“We’ve identified all those involved now, and our position, right from the day one, is that they must release him unconditionally. They must have made a mistake of identity. And now that they have realised their mistake, they must release him unconditionally,” Bekederemo said.

“If that is not done, if anything happens to him, they know the Ijaw custom very well: it is life for life. We’ll go after them, it’s a declaration of war. They and their families will know no peace. This is an embarrassment to the Ijaw nation and we’ll not take it from them. Clark symbolises the voice of the Ijaw man. When they needed a voice to speak for them, he came out at the risk of his life, so we see no reason why an Ijaw son would want to embarrass this man, having made the ultimate sacrifice for them.”

Ebikeme, second son of Clark was abducted last Wednesday evening by those who had apparently trailed him to the family’s ancestral village, Kiagbodo in Delta State.

They demanded a ransom of N60 million to release him.

The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) had earlier told the Clarks to spurn the demand.

 

The Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday squared up to his son’s kidnappers who are demanding N60 million for their victim to be released.

He warned the kidnappers to release Ebikeme, a politician, forthwith and unconditionally or ‘face war’.

Counsel to the elder Clark, Mr. Dockson Bekederemo, said by phone yesterday that the family resolved not to pay a dime as ransom to the kidnappers.

He said the family’s decision has already been made clear to the kidnappers whose identities, according to him, are already known.

“We’ve identified all those involved now, and our position, right from the day one, is that they must release him unconditionally. They must have made a mistake of identity. And now that they have realised their mistake, they must release him unconditionally,” Bekederemo said.

“If that is not done, if anything happens to him, they know the Ijaw custom very well: it is life for life. We’ll go after them, it’s a declaration of war. They and their families will know no peace. This is an embarrassment to the Ijaw nation and we’ll not take it from them. Clark symbolises the voice of the Ijaw man. When they needed a voice to speak for them, he came out at the risk of his life, so we see no reason why an Ijaw son would want to embarrass this man, having made the ultimate sacrifice for them.”

Ebikeme, second son of Clark was abducted last Wednesday evening by those who had apparently trailed him to the family’s ancestral village, Kiagbodo in Delta State.

They demanded a ransom of N60 million to release him.

The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) had earlier told the Clarks to spurn the demand.