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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Hundreds of aged women of Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest over the alleged murder of their son, Mr. Ubaka Stepehen Afamefuna by suspected vigilante members in the community.
Clad in black attires, the women also alleged that the community was no longer safe for their husbands, following what they claimed was constant arrest by security operatives carrying out the directives of the local authorities.
They claimed that a number of their husbands aged between 60 and 79 have been unlawfully detained in the past eight months for offenses which they did not commit.
Armed with placards of various inscriptions, the protesters called on the state government to come to their aid and ensure that there is justice for their late son, and that their husbands are freed from detention.
Chike Malije who was the only man among the protesters, told journalists that trouble started when the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, HRM Ifechukwude Okonjo wrote to Ogbeodogwu quarters requested for a nominee for the Odogwu title of Ogwashi-Uku.
Malije stated that the king was in order to have written to the quarter, adding as tradition demands, the quarter consulted with the ancestors and somebody was chosen for the title.
He lamented however that when the chosen one was presented to the Obi, he was rejected by the palace, adding that the Obi said he had already picked someone else for the title.
According to him, the development led to spate of arrests of those opposed to the choice of the Obi, alleging that the late Afamefune Ubaka was one of the victims who was beaten to stupor and later died on August 12 as a result of the injuries he sustained.
“Late Ubaka is still in the mortuary. Elders of our community of age bracket 60 – 79 are also in detention while the police are on the daily basis arresting our community youths without arresting the persons connected in the torture and murder of Ubaka,” he said.
Receiving the protesters, Special Adviser to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Peace and Conflict Resolution, Edwin Uzor, said the state government was already in possession of the petition from the community, assuring that the matter would be decisively handled.
Meanwhile, the Obi-in-Council of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in a statement by the Palace Secretary, Ifeakanachukwu Emordi said the death of Ubaka was reported, and that the authorities were investigating the circumstances that led to his death.
Also, the Odogwu of Ogwashi-Uku, Gabriel Ohai, said it was not true that the late Ubaka was tortured at the palace by vigilante, noting that Ubaka was “tuberculosis patient who had complications with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) that led to his death.
