The family of late Nze Ogbonnaya Edmund Okorie of Isiakpu Ukete Oduma in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State have cried out over their alleged banishment from their community.
In a petition to the Commissioner of Police Enugu State, they alleged unlawful seizure of the properties, deprivation of right to private and family life, deprivation of right to personal liberty and freedom of movement and their banishment by the traditional ruler of their community, Igwe Patrick Oshiekwe.
A petition dated 17th November, 2021, signed by Barrister Alloysius Chinenye Okorie and other members of Late Nze Ogbonnaya Okorie family, copied to Executive Secretary, National Human Right Commission and made available to Daily Post, was signed on their behalf by Barr. Decency Okorie.
They alleged that members of the late Ogbonnaya Edmund Okorie family, namely: Barrister Alloysius Okorie, Barrister Romanus Okwudiri Okorie, Engr. Adolphus Okorie, comrade Louis Okorie, Isaiah Okorie, Miss Agatha Okorie, Mrs. Christiana Okorie, Johnson Okorie and many others were on the 26th day of November, 2021 banished by the traditional ruler of the Ukete Oduma Autonomous community, H.R.H. Igwe Patrick Oshiekwe “by the use of strange men and local bad boys who were under his severe instructions to maliciously and unlawfully enter our rice farm at Agu-ofia farmland harvesting and selling the produce.”
He alleged further that the bad boys and hoodlums also entered the family compound at Isiakpu Ukete Oduma, and looted and destroyed every valuable property therein at the instruction of the traditional ruler and are still occupying their compound.
Furthermore, the petitioner alleged that the traditional ruler had brutally deprived all members of the family late Nze Ogbonnaya Edmund Okorie family their rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, dignity of human person, adding that the said traditional ruler ordered his boys to attack the policemen who came investigate the matter.
Continuing, he said that after the hoodlums attacked the policemen, they laid siege on their family and carted away their 150 cartons of floor tiles, 6 heavy GP water tanks of 1000 gallons each, beds/foams, the sum N350,000, a brief case containing valuable documents, amongst other valuable properties.
On steps taken towards ensuring that justice was done to their case, Okorie stated that apart from reporting the matter to the police and the Human Rights Commission, the family had communicated with the Commissioner for Chieftaincy affairs and chairman of traditional rulers’ council in Enugu State.
Reacting to the allegations, Igwe Patrick Oshiekwe insisted that nobody was banished from the community. He denied all the claims of the petitioners.
