Some Civil Society Organizations have demanded justice for the late Obinna Udeze, the 19-month-old pupil of Arise and Shine Nursery and Primary School, Asaba, Delta State, who was reportedly flogged to death by the proprietress of the school and her son.
Sahara Reporters learnt that the CSOs led by Harrison Gwamishu of Behind Bars had visited the school on Saturday upon learning that activities were about to resume there.
Gwamishu said the school building, which was earlier sealed by the state government, was reopened and some works were ongoing to allow for prompt resumption.
However, the CSOs stormed the school and re-sealed it, stating that nothing will be done on the premises until justice is served.
Meanwhile, Ebenezer Omejalile of the Advocates for Children and Vulnerable People’s Network (ACVPN) said the police had released the accused persons, Mabel Nwagbo and Joshua Nwagbo.
He alleged that the Delta State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) had not done a thorough investigation but restricted their investigation to the Asaba Police Division report which had a lot of flaws.
According to him, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Community Support Services, Bridget Anyafulu is a close associate of the proprietress and her family and has done everything possible to frustrate the case and the moves being made to get justice for Obinna’s mother.
Meanwhile, Gift Ohanazeze, the mother of the deceased, once lamented how Anyafulu had shamed her for her financial situation when she was invited to the Commissioner’s office.
She claimed the commissioner and two other people present — one who identified as a doctor/lecturer and another who identified as a Minister, urged her to repent and accept Christ as she had not lived a good life by having a child without a father.
According to her, the Commissioner and her partners said that even if little Obinna had not been beaten to death, he would have still died when he died as that was when he was destined to die.
Omejalile noted, “The Delta State Government has practically abandoned Obinna’s mother in her quest to get justice. We are all aware of the intrigues of this case.
“We have been monitoring events in Delta right from the first time the incident occurred there, then after three days, Obinna gave up the ghost.
“There were a lot of conspiracies from all quarters. The Delta State Police Command SCID didn’t further their investigation into this matter, they restricted their investigation to the Asaba Primary Police Division report and this gave room for a lot of discrepancies.
“It is very shocking to believe the Delta State Governor and his wife who behaved in a bravado way by paying the late Obinna’s mother a condolence visit with their entourage and doing as if heaven would come down there.
“Afterwards, things went from bad to worse with the inaction of the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs who was hypothetical about sympathy towards the mother of the late Obinna. Deep down in her (Anyafulu’s) heart, she’s an associate of the proprietress of the school, Mabel Nwagbo and her son, Joshua Nwagbo.
“The Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs was practically working against the interest of Obinna’s mother’s quest to get justice. At a point. Commissioner Bridget addressed the late Obinna’s mother as an unfit, irresponsible mother. She justified that the late Obinna deserved to die.
“It should be on record that ACVPN through the efforts of Comrade Savior Iche has been supporting the late Obinna’s mother, all this while until recently we got her an apartment and a store where she can operate a hair salon so that she can fend for herself.
“Just on Saturday, 21st May 2022 we got a call from Obinna’s mother that the alleged murderess, Proprietress Mabel Nwagbo had been released and it appears like she’s about to resume operation in the school because she saw some of her staff members at the school which was closed down by the Delta State Government after the public outcry. The school is now reopened, the question is who reopened the school?
“This is the most irresponsible action by Delta State Government whose Governor is a medical doctor but could not ensure justice is duly served. No form of support no thanks to the heartless Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs.
“As of May 22, 2022, we heard the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs had resigned her position in her quest to contest for a seat in the Delta State House of Assembly. Monday, 23rd May 2022 is the next court sitting.
“As of yesterday, we heard some Comrades in Delta State stormed the school and sealed the school demanding justice for the late Obinna and his family.
“We will not be deterred until we get justice for the late Obinna’s mother, while we continue to support her. Shame on the Delta State Government for not honouring its promise to the late Obinna’s mother. But the Delta State Government could score cheap popularity under deceit and false pretence.
“The Delta Government should note that the voice of the people is the voice of God. No child deserves to die the way the late Obinna died. He was only 3 years old before his life was cut short.
“Just yesterday, it was all over the news that the Delta State Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s daughter won the seat for Delta State Ika North. The Governor should note that what is good for his daughter is also good for the late Obinna.”
