Rivers family laments police harassment, disregard to court order over late mothers’ burial
By Peregba Jerry
A family in Rivers State have expressed concerns over alleged intimidation by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force from the Forces Headquarters, Abuja, over the corpse of their mother, Late Mrs. Stella Odogwu, who has since been laid to rest.
The family of Odogwu in Omoku Town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state said they have not been at rest following continued intimidation by the police after the burial, adding that the police have continually maintained their disregard to orders of court on the matter.
Speaking, Carole Odogwu-Umeda, one of the daughters of the woman, disclosed that the police arrested her, alleging that she and other of her siblings stole the remains of their mother.
Carole disclosed that the last child of their parents, Mrs. Queeneth Prince-Jaja, had insisted to bury the remains of their mother alone, but that the family said it must be a joint thing as the tradition of their people demands.
She noted that while the burial was on Queeneth who she claimed is being sponsored by a politician in the state, allegedly interested in buying off the property of their Late mother came with police and arrested her (Carole) Elder sister of the Late woman, Ureh Akidu and the late woman’s driver.
She narrated: “We had reported a matter of burglary and stealing of our late mother’s property to Alakahia Police Division, they said they could not handle it because somebody from the control room had informed them that it is a family matter.
“But at the police station, one who claimed to be my IPO said I would be detained, that when my other IPO from Abuja comes I will be better briefed, that my younger sister filed in a petition that our mothers’ corpse was missing. I was shocked because I knew that our mother’s corps was not missing, it was buried and Queeneth knew.
“He said I am a suspect in the crime. I was unlawfully detained for six days over my mother’s corpse. We have been traumatized by the attitude of the police. Police have been intimidating us despite court orders that we should not be arrested.”
Also, elder sister to the late Stella, Ureh Akidu, cried that she has been stranded in Port Harcourt since she came into the state from Lagos to participate in the burial of her younger sister, noting that police arrested and maltreated her.
Akidu said: “I feel terrible about what is happening. I don’t have rest of mind since I came to bury my younger sister. This is five months now. She is my junior sister I only came to bury her. They want to kill me.
“Some days to the burial she came and arrested me and other persons to Abuja. She kept us there until my sister that I came to burial was buried on 13th of December, 2023. Let the police leave us alone. It is not a crime that I came to bury my sister. Police do not want to obey what the court has said.”
However, counsel for the family, Ejimofor Idam, Esq., while addressing the press on the development, vowed that the family would move the court to issue a warrant of arrest on all the police hierarchies in Abuja, over the disregard to orders of court on the family matter.
Idam disclosed that Justice A T. Mohammed of a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had on the 29th of December, made an order stopping the police from arresting or inviting any member of the family on the said burial of late Stella Odogwu pending the hearing and determination of the matter before it.
He noted that the same court had on the 11th of January, made another that police should release the suspects it arrested against its earlier order, but regretted that the police have flouted all the orders of court.
The counsel wondered while the police that should protect and implement the law were the same people destroying the law, adding that the family would have no other option than to move the court to take action against the police.
Idam said: “We had applied for an Exparte Order stopping police from interfering in a Civil Family matter or arresting, or inviting the family members. The court said the parties should maintain Status Quo. On the 29th of December, we got this order. On the 2nd we sent out the order to Abuja and on the 4th Police in Abuja was served.
“Even after service, the police are still arresting the family members. We are going to move the court issues want of arrest to the police if this situation persists because it is a crime to disobey the order of court. It is frustrating for our clients. My clients are not sleeping at night. They are afraid that they could be arrested and taken to Abuja.”
However, Mrs. Queeneth Prince-Jaja, could not respond the issues raised against, but that’s eh would get back at her convenience. Also, the Rivers State Police Command said the matter was being handled in Abuja.
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