Land Dispute: Irate youths exhume two bodies, display them at market square
Irate youths in Umuokwara, Nwaneri, Isuozuaka community of Njaba local council, Imo State, yesterday went berserk to violently protest against the exhumation of two bodies at night by persons suspected to be opponents of the family.
The Guardian gathered that some persons on Monday night invaded the burial ground of an aged woman, Monica Anupueme, and her sister-in-law, Margaret Anupueme, who were buried on September 4, 2019, exhumed the bodies and displayed them on the Nkwo Ipka Market square road, in Umuaka.
The mob, in annoyance, stormed two homes suspected to be owned by those who exhumed the bodies, razing them down to rubbles. Trouble started when fight broke out over six plots of land in dispute between the deceased and a relation, with both parties challenging the ownership in court.
Monica’s body was kept in the mortuary for four years and Margaret’s own for about three years before the bodies were commuted to mother earth following a court order to bury, the bodies on September 4. Speaking on behalf of the family, Osita Paul Anupueme, said their anger was anchored on the fact that the suspects allegedly went to the burial place and exhumed the bodies, then went ahead to display them at the market square.
The deceased son maintained that the family was after the peace of the area, wondering why the suspected persons would exhume his mother’s body some days after her burial. While the protest was on, some newsmen escaped death by the whiskers as the rampaging youths descended on them, beating them for failure to identify themselves in the community.
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All efforts by the reporters to identify themselves at the spot where the bodies were laid fell on deaf ears, as the youths insisted that the reporters were on clandestine mission.
While Charles Ogugbuaja of The Guardian, who was hit on his body, refused to let go of his phone, the irate youths nearly lynched George Onyejiuwa of The Sun and Chris Njoku of the Nation until before they were rescued and whisked away to a nearby health centre.
Meanwhile, the governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has appealed to youths to assist his administration and security agencies rid the state of miscreants and criminals elements. Ihedioha, who made the called through his Chief Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, said security is a collective responsibility of all citizens and the youths have a major role to play to ensure a crime-free society.
The governor was reacting to the recent activities recently perpetrated by some hoodlums along Douglas and Tetlow road in the state capital, Owerri. At the weekend, armed bandits raided more than 20 shops along the axis while a downpour lasted.Also reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, said the command is committed to ensuring adequate security of lives and propery in the state.
Ladodo, who spoke through the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Orlando Ikokwu, said the command is currently meeting with critical stakeholders in the state, with a view of addressing the situation. He also urged citizens to assist the police with prompt and useful information, stressing that such would help to guarantee effective policing in the state.
Source: Guardian
