The Enugu state police command has finally released to the family, the corpse of Bonaventure Odoh, one of the Ogbete Main Market traders killed by security operatives during a protest.
A family source told Journalists that the corpse was released on Monday afternoon.
Recall that the family of the trader had lamented the refusal of the state government to release his corpse.
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The family said his burial had been delayed by the refusal of the government to release his corpse to them.
Two traders of the market including Odoh were shot dead on July 27, 2023, by security operatives deployed to the market by Governor Peter Mbah to stop aggrieved traders from protesting against the sealing of their shops and businesses by the government for not coming to market on Mondays on allegation of observing ‘illegal sit-at-home’ order.
The traders had taken to the street to march against the sealing of shops in the market by the authorities of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), as part of the enforcement of an order by the government for workers and traders to resist the regime of sit-at-home.
Since the incident, neither the state government nor the police has sent a team to visit the families of the traders killed during the protest. Also, there is no report that the police officers who killed the protesters have been arrested or held accountable.
Late Odoh had recently returned from Dubai and decided to establish his business at the Ogbete Main Market. His corpse was deposited at a mortuary in Enugu on the orders of the state government.
Speaking to journalists on Monday afternoon, the family said:
“Thank you, SaharaReporters, shortly after you published the report, the police started calling our family to come and carry the corpse. We came and they handed over the corpse to us without further trouble. We are grateful.”
