The family of Levi Opara from Ezedibia, Emekuku in Owerri North local government area of Imo State, yesterday cried out to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the continued delay to arraign in court the police officers suspected to have murdered their father, Engr Levi Opara.
They also called on the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, to intervene and bring justice to the family of the deceased.
The daughter of the deceased, Iheoma Opara, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri, on behalf of her siblings, Davidson Opara, Johnson Opara and Chioma Opara, said they were worried that since the Inspector General of Police (IGP) approved their petition and ordered the immediate arrest of all those involved in the murder, not much has been done and the matter was ultimately transferred to zone 9 Umuahia.
“But until now, they are still delaying the arraignment of the Police officers and those involved in the said murder, giving room for interference which is delaying the arraignment of those involved in the murder. Currently, our family and the community appear in total disarray and shocked at the gruesome manner in which my father was killed,” she said.
Narrating how the whole thing started, she alleged that it was “a mere family misunderstanding between my father and mother, one Chioma Opara upon which he involved a police informant who took the matter to Tiger Base Police in Imo State.
“Subsequently, my mother in conjunction with the Police informant identified as Anthony Nneji; team leader, Blessing and the IPO, Moses allegedly arrested my dad, Levi Opara on Sunday, October 15, 2023. When we got the information of my father’s arrest, we quickly rushed to the Police on October 16, 2023 with my relatives where we met my father hale and hearty without any sign of illness but all efforts to secure his release/ bail to enable them resolve the family issue failed as we were asked to come back on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
“When we came back on Wednesday, we were shocked when the IPO and the team leader notified us that my father who was never sick or suffering from any form of illness the day he was arrested was dead. On further inquiries, both the IPO and the team leader informed us that he was at the police clinic but later changed and said he has already been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.”
They added that since their father, Levi Opara was buried on December 15, 2023, they were yet to get justice.
