Remains of Omatsola, Etuwewe: Okpe Take Case to Presidency; Moves to Exhume Bodies
San Francisco, June 06, (THEWILL) – "If you do not put a stop to the use of soldiers, naval personnel and policemen in carrying out the lawless acts of the Governor’s men in Sapele, Delta State, the problem of harassment, intimidation and violation of the rights of other ethic groups in the area is bound to rise dramatically especially as the nation moves towards 2011," Senator David Dafinone told President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday.
In a petition on behalf of the Sapele Okpe Community, the renowned accountant condemned the use of Army and Naval personnel to violate orders granted by the High Court of Justice of Delta State restraining the families of Late Deaconess F. U. Omatsola and Late Mr W. A. O. Etuwewe from burying the remains of their mother and father at First Baptist Church Premises and 16, Ikomi Road, Sapele.
He described the acts of lawlessness on the part of the soldiers, naval personnel as well as policemen as illegal and a threat to the peace of the area and consequently to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The community has over the years been operating on an order, which forbids deceased persons from being buried in Houses/Compounds, except the approved cemetery at Mission Road, Sapele.
Said Dafinone 'The Sapele Okpe community feels that soldiers and other security agents are expected to be disciplined and independent of any private interest. The community expects them to uphold the laws of the Federation. In the case of Etuwewe, there was the failure by men of the Army and Navy to restrain themselves from interfering in civil and private matters of burial, the violation of the Burial Law regulating burial in Sapele township and total disobedience of the injunction restraining the burial of the deceased at 16B Ikomi Road, Sapele.'
He urged President Jonathan to conduct an investigation into the role played by Naval personnel, soldiers and mobile policemen in the said burials.
Meanwhile, the community is back in court seeking a court order to have the remains exhumed.