An Ikeja High Court Judge on Monday, refused to release the corpse of Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd) to the family for burial.
Rear Admiral Kanu was the former Military Administrator of Lagos and Imo States.
Justice Christopher Balogun had on October 7, given an order that the Nigerian Navy should not release the body of the ex-governor until otherwise directed by the court.
Balogun gave the order at the hearing of the suit filed by one of the wives of the deceased, Mrs Gladys Kanu against the children of the deceased, her co-wife and the Nigerian Navy.
The plaintiff is seeking an order of the court to direct the respondents, their agents or privies, not to threaten her and to allow her her properly prepare for the burial slated for Friday, 15th of October.
The respondents include:
- Kelly Kanu
- The Nigerian Nay
- Simone Abiola (nee Kanu)
- Andrey Joe-Ezigbo (nee Kanu)
- Paul Ndidiamaka Kanu
- Keren Johnson (nee Kanu)
- Jeffery Kanu
- Laura Kanu
- Stephen Kanu
- Josephine Ndubuisi Kanu
According to the Judge, refusing to release the corpse “is for the protection of the body itself so that no one goes to tamper with that body which is to be buried on Saturday.
“There is not going to be any change of date of that burial but we are protecting the body.
“That is the only order I gave so that there will be no intermeddler and interlopers going to the Nigerian Navy and saying they told them to come and collect the body of our dear ex-governor any longer.
“It is a protective order. I also said that if this controversy lingers and there is no proper cohesion among the lawyers to the parties, it will cause some confusion in Abia State on the day of the burial.
“I gave the direction and all counsel present said it was a good advice.
“I am concerned that the body of our ex-governor is even a befitting burial so no one should tamper with the body.”
During the hearing on Monday, the family and their lawyers were still locked in arguments about the burial arrangements.
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