Shock In Bayelsa Over Mass Burial For Burnt Female Politicians

Residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and families of the 11 female politicians killed on Saturday in a ghastly motor accident near the Old Ahoada Market road along the East-West road of Rivers State were yesterday gripped by shock and disbelief following the decision to conduct mass burial for the burnt corpses of the victims.

The decision, leadership gathered, was reached with the families of the victims because the corpses were burnt beyond recognition.
Leadership learnt that the remains of the 11 female politicians were conveyed to the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa by a team led by the former deputy governor of the state and state coordinator of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Hon Werinipre Seibarugu.
It was gathered that the decision for a mass burial was reached following a pathologist’s advice that the possibility of conducting a deoxyribonucleic acid test will take up to six months. The families considered the time too long to bear.
The husband of one of the victims and staff of the State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Matthew Utolor, told leadership that the families could not identify their loved ones, adding “I could not believe that I cannot identify my wife.”
Also speaking, Mr Ambrose Ayebakuro, the 33-year-old son of the deceased former House of Assembly member, Hon Ruby Benjamin, confirmed that they had been contacted on the need to conduct a mass burial for the victims. He said, “She was everything to us. But I take solace in the fact that she was close to God.”
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State governor, Hon Seriake Dickson visited the home of the secretary to the state government, Prof Edmund Alison-Oguru over the death of his wife, Mrs Elizabeth Oguru, following a fatal auto crash at Elele, along the East-West road.
Governor Dickson,described the incident as a tragic one, which claimed the lives of female politicians in the state.He said the news of the untimely death of the women came to him as a rude shock, described the incident as a painful and terrible blow to the state.
The members of the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon. Konbowei Benson has described death as a heartache that no one can heal, adding that only God has the capacity to console the bereaved.
The only female member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. (Mrs) Agatha Goma, representing Ekeremor Constituency I, whose sister, Hon. Zimbra Pamowei,was one of the victim said the pain of the untimely death of the women is immeasurable.