Edo Monarch, Commissioner’s Residences Torched Over Burial Rites

Crisis has erupted in Oja community in Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo State as youths from the area attacked and burnt the palace of the Olojah of Ojah, Oba D. S. Lawani and the residence of the commissioner for social development and gender, Mrs Christabel Eremah Ekwu.

The youths were protesting a customary practice of a burial accorded to some people of the community as prescribed by a deity.

In a reaction to the incident yesterday, the Okpameri Traditional Rulers Association (OKPATRA) issued a statement and condemned the arson and called for peace.

It was gathered that trouble started on Monday when a woman died and “after some findings, it was said that the woman was killed by the shrine in Ojah. The community wanted to give the deceased a burial, which in local parlance is known as “sky burial”.

This involves dumping the dead body in the shrine located in one of the hills in the community, a villager said.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the traditional ruler and the commissioner had advocated a stoppage to that kind of burial and they were suspected to have invited security agencies to stop the process.

In the process, youths attacked the security agencies with stones and forced them out of the area.

The angry youths attacked the palace of the traditional ruler, vandalised it and burnt his sport utility vehicle (SUV) parked in the compound while the residence of the commissioner was razed down.

Reacting to the development, a leader from the area and House of Assembly aspirant, Joy Akpaida condemned the attacks and called for peace

In a statement issued by the OKPATRA and signed by its chairman and secretary Óba Sule Idaiye and Victor Arogunyo, the monarchs said they would consult widely to resolve the feud.

The state command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF)said it was waiting for reports from the divisional police officer in the area.