Judge refuses to release Ex-Lagos Governor’s Corpse to Family, gives reason

Justice Christopher Balogun of an Ikeja High Court on Monday gave an insight about why he gave an Order that the corpse of Rear Adm. Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd) should not be released to his family for burial.

The deceased is the former Military Administrator of Lagos and Imo.

Balogun had on Oct. 7 given an Order that the Nigerian Navy should not release the body of the ex-Lagos Military Administrator until otherwise directed by the court. The judge had given 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, the Nigerian Navy and her cowife.

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 properly prepare for the burial slated for Friday, Oct. 15.

The respondent to suit are; Kelly Kanu, the Nigerian Navy, Simone Abiona (nee Kanu), Andrey Joe- Ezigbo (nee Kanu), Paul Ndidiamaka Kanu and Karen Johnson (nee Kanu).

Others are Jeffery Kanu, Laura Kanu, Stephen Kanu and Josephine Ndubuisi-Kanu (wife).

The judge said that he gave the Order to protect the corpse from being tampered with which may be a result of the fallout from the Kanu family feud.

“It is for the protection of the body itself so that no one goes to tamper with that body which is to be buried this 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 intermeddlers and interlopers and going to the Nigerian Navy and saying they were told to come and collect the body and we do not see the body of our dear ex-Governor any longer.

“It is a Protective Order. I also said that of 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 date of the burial.

“I gave a direction and all counsel present said that it was a good advice.

“I am concerned that the body of our ex-Governor is given a befitting burial so no one should tamper with the body,” Balogun said. Some of the final burial rites of the ex-Lagos Military Administrator which are scheduled to hold outside Lagos will run from Oct. 13 in Imo to Oct. 15 in Abia.

As at the time of filing this report (4.12pm), the family and their lawyers are in courtroom trying to settle the dispute over the deceased’s burial arrangements.