Alphonsus Nweze
The family of Philip Ekwosi of Umuabo village, Uke in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State has sent Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the Inspector-General of Police, (IG), to prevail on the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 13, Awka, Alhaji Muri Miss, and the Commander Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Olantunji Disu, to hands off in seizing and allocating the properties of their late brother, Hyginus Ukachukwu Philip- Ekwosi (Udala) to his last wife, Oluchukwu Kelly Ekwosi.
Addressing newsmen in Onitsha, weekend the younger brother of the deceased, Mr. Ifeanyi Martin Ekwosi, narrated the ordeal of the family members which led to the detention of his sister and himself by a team of Police men working under the directive of AIG Muri and DCP Disu.
Ifeanyi said he was detained for six days on the others of AIG and Disu who desperately have been recovering their late brothers’ property and handing them over to Oluchukwu who he said, did not have any legal marriage with their brother.
He also alleged that Police on two ocassions locked their family house in Uke without Court order but on the instructions of AIG Muri and DCP Disu, noting that two trailers belonging to his late brother had been impounded and handed over to the last wife.
He alleged that when he was detained by the Police his handset was seized which they have not returned up till now, alleging that the purpose was to get more information about the assets of his late brother.
Ifeanyi also said three of his bank accounts were blocked and his email account equally hacked.
He equally said the Police locked warehouses of his brother located at Powa plaza, Onitsha.
His sister, Mrs Etim Ginika Philip-Ekwosi, he said, was detained for four days for allegedly entering into their sealed house through the fence, which was false.
“The Police on the orders of AIG and DCP, locked our family house where our parents were buried. Every person in the family has a room there. Unfortunately, they did all these without any court order,” said Ifeanyi.
He querried the interest of the police especially the AIG Muri and DCP Disu in seizing the assets of their brother without an order of Court of competent jurisdiction, noting that their brother has a legally married wife who has two children for him.
He said the wife, Li Yuan, a Chinese lady actually made their brother and their brother didn’t joke with her when he was alive.
Ifeanyi said now that their brother is dead, Li Yuan and her two children cannot be left empty handed especially when she was the architect of their brother’s success.
He also said that his brother has two other children, and one from Oluchukwu, making them five children in all. He asked what the fate of these other children will be if the Police use brute force, intimidation and harassment to hand over all the properties to one woman with her only child.
He said that his brother died intestate, that is without a will, noting that in the circumstance, it is the court that has the power to share the property not the police as AIG Muri and DCP Disu are now doing.
The family, Ifeanyi said, has filed different court suits in this matter to stop this wanton illegality and naked show of power by AIG Muri.
He said the Oluchukwu lived with their brother for only six months and had one child, while their brother had legal wife under the Act with two children and other children from other women.
He lamented that throughout their brief relationship, Oluchukwu refused to live with their brother in Onitsha, insisting that she would reside in Lagos.
Ifeanyi said Udala as his brother was fondly called rented an apartment for her in Lagos for over N5m and set up a flourishing business for her there.
He alleged that two 40 feet containers that their brother imported before he died have been cleared by Oluchukwu.
Ifeanyi also accused one Mr.Peter Onyeji, the President-General of Uke of aiding and abetting Oluchukwu in her bid to use Police to intimidate them and hijack all the properties of their late brother, wondering Onyeji’s sudden interest in Udala’ s family now, when he refused to show up during his burial.
“Our plea is that IG should use his good office to intervene in this matter. This is a probate matter. It is not a Police matter.We are not the people to share the property, it is the court but AIG and DCP Disu have been using their boys to intimidate and harass us.”
Continuing Ifeanyi who was with her sister in the briefing said, “Police on its own are releasing everything to Oluchukwu. We are not saying she will not get anything but it is not the Police that should share Udala’s assets. He has five children, two women. We as family are not interested in any property but let there be equitable and just in the sharing and only the court can do that.” He insisted.
When contacted, AIG Muri said they were still investigating the matter when the other party petitioned IG and whatever is happening in the case right now, the Police from IG whom they sent petition to intervene should be held responsible, and not his team.
