By Anselem Anokwute
The serene rain forest and greeny environment of Isioziaka Community in Njaba LGA was early hours of September 24, 2019, thrown into a cataclysmic,pandemonium over the criminally induced act that exhumed two female corpses belonging to one Anopuoeme family, barely a month after their burial.
The story has it that the people of Isioziaka in Njaba, were woken up by the nasty and sacrilegious news of the incidences on how two caskets were dropped at the Nwankwokpa in Umuokwaranwaneri village market square, in Isioziaka Community of Njaba Council, Imo State by an unknown people at night.
During confirmation, the youths observed that inside the caskets were the remains of two women, a mother-inlaw and daughter-inlaw, of late Anopuoeme family, who died in January 2016, which the family was unable to burry due to the fact that their only land was in a dispute before the daughter-inlaw died earlier this year and the customary court of Appeal gave an interim injunction order, restraining the disputants from further lying claims to the land until the case was concluded at the Customary court, to enable the family bury their remains, which the Nnayereugo’s family did not seem to be favourable with and went to obtain a stay of execution order. With the efforts of the community leaders, Anopuoeme family was able to bury the corpses about a month ago, only to realize that their corpses were exhumed and dropped at the community market square.
This action according to reports, prompted the youths to embark on a violent protest that culminated in the destruction of shops and family houses of the Nnayereugo’s. The youths allegedly carted away property worth millions of naira while the two female corpses were also lowered in the sitting room of Nnayereugo’s house.
The Traditional Ruler of Isioziaka Community, HRH, Eze (Barr) Victor Obioma Ijeoma, who described the act as sacrilegious and an abomination said, for his lifetime, he had not heard such an ugly incidence before which he described as sacrilegious and a desecration of Isioziaka land.
Eze Ijeoma posited that, when the youths started the protest, he was not around within his community, but was prompted to action by informing the Njaba Interim Committee Chairman, Hon. Obodosha Agwubuo, the DPO Njaba and the DSS for Quick Intervention to safe the situation.
“I learnt that the youths had removed the two corpses from Nwankwoikpa market square and deposited same at Nnayereugo family compound, while their shops and building were vandalized. To be honest with you, I am not happy, unknown thing has happened, it is total desecration of the land. Why not allow the women have eternal rest? It is barbaric, evil and an abominable act”, Eze Ijeoma reaffirmed.
The Royal Father also reaffirmed his prior knowledge of a lingering land dispute between the two families. According to him, the land in question whereby the women were buried has been under the right of ownership dispute until Nnayereugo’s family got a favourable judgment in the Customary Court, which led the Anopuoeme family who appealed at the Customary Court of Appeal and got the stay of execution order to enable them bury the remains of their loved ones, who died over many years ago.
When contacted, the President General, Hon. Gregory Akamere said, he is running round to see that peace returns to the community. According to him, it is an abomination and wickedness to exhume the remains of dead women, barely a month after their burial.
In a reaction, the Njaba IMC, Hon. Obodosha Agwubuo, said, that Isioziaka Community in the past have been known for peace and wondered why such a land dispute was not amicably settled by the leaders. He described such unruly actions as the worst that can happen in a community and called on them to close ranks and pursue peace, instead of violence.
