From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
The Coalition of Civil Societies Organizations (CSOs) has petitioned the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP, Abutu Yaro, urging him to use his good offices to bring to book one Simeon Okechi for demolishing a 5-bedroom bungalow belonging to his late elder’s brother wife, Ifeyinwa Okechi.
The CSOs also requested the CP to equally arrest and prosecute the traditional ruler of Ubahangwu Etiti Orsu Community in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State as well as the President-General (PG) of the community as accomplices in the crime.
According to the CSOs, Simeon Okechi shortly after the demise of Ifeyinwa’s husband in 2010 approached the widow in Benin City, Edo State where they were resident then and requested to have sex with her.
The organizations informed that Ifeyinwa’s refusal to grant the request infuriated him resulting in Okechi returning a fortnight after to order the closure of his elder brother’s pharmaceutical shop.
The organizations further disclosed that Okechi seeing that the closure of the store would not make Ifeyinwa to bulge ordered her to relocate with her children to the Ubahangwu village.
According to the organizations, Ifeyinwa obeyed and returned to the village where she has been doing food vending business to make ends meet and be able to train her children.
They further disclosed that Okechi who was still smarting under the weight of the rejection on June 24, 2021 hired about 15 thugs to demolish the five-bedroom bungalow where Ifeyinwa and her children were living in.
The CSOs said the demolition carried out by thugs at the behest of Okechi was a violation of the fundamental human rights of the widow and members of her family and some provisions of Chapter four (Fundamental Rights) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended.
They expressed surprise that Okechi and his thugs were still allowed to walk the streets free men and still threatening to deal ruthlessly with the widow and her children instead of being arrested and prosecuted by the police.
In addition to calling for the arrest and prosecution of Okechi nd his thugs, the organizations urged the police to also arrest and prosecute the traditional ruler and President-General (PG) of the community for failing to protect the rights of the widow as a bonafide member of the community.
The CSOs also urged the police to protect the widow and her children because Okechi and his cohorts are still going about threatening to deal with them if they do not disappear from the community.
The petition is dated July 12, 2021 and signed by Ijeoma Kalu, Global President, Pan African Women Forum for Grassroots Development; Chilos A.C. Godsent, National President, Igbo National Council (INC); Igboayaka .O. Igboayaka, National President, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC); Chibundu Uchegbu, Programme Director, Better Community Life Initiative (BECOLIN); Okeiyi Juliet Obiageri, Executive Director, Open Arms among others.
