Breaking: Late former Senate President, Joseph Wayas's body arrives Nigeria

Exactly two years and nine months after the death of Late Senate President, Dr Joseph Wayas, his remains has arrived Nigeria for onward burial.

Recall that Wayas, who held sway as Nigeria's Senate President between October 1,1979 and  December 31,1983, died in a London hospital on November 30, 2021, at the age of 80.

The ex-Senate President's wife died 12 days after. While his wife had since been buried, the revered politician's remains had remained in a morgue in London,a development that had sparked controversies.

Some persons who had concluded that the late octogenarian's body had since been secretly interred in London, were surprised to see the remains back 33 months after. 

His body was received by his family, friends and some prominent sons and daughters of Cross River North Senatorial District at Azikiwe International Airport at about  4:30am, Wednesday morning. 

Among those who received body in this direction were Senator Jarigbe Agom, Hon. Peter Akpanke, Johnny Agom, SAN, and Dr. Dom Cklaimz Enamhe. At the time of filing this report, the body which was driven straight from the airport to the National Hospital,Abuja, had been deposited at the hospital's mogue.

In a separate interview  with  newsmen after the body was received, Senator Jarigbe Agom, representing Cross River North and Hon. Peter Akpanke, representing Obudu,Bekwara Obanlikwu Federal Constituency, at the National Assembly, expressed happiness that the body had finally been brought home. 

Also, his late wife's family, though grieved, expressed relief at the development and appreciated all those who had facilitated the return of his remains.

Recall that when the politician and his wife died, the then Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade's Government immediately set up a Committee headed by former Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, to oversee the burial activities.

To facilitate the Committee’s work, Ayade was said to have approved and immediately released N200 million to the Committee with a promise to release another tranche of N50 million.

It was gathered that the Committee released N100 million to a sub-committee vested with the task of repatriating the remains of Wayas and his wife and headed by the former Director General, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), Dave Ashang to liaise with the family to achieve the purpose.

However, all these efforts were fruitless, thus compelling some sons and daughters of Cross River North Senatorial District to set up a volunteer group under the aegis of "Who is Who in Northern Cross River" to take up the task of ensuring not only the return of his remains but  according it a befitting burial. 

Wednesday's arrival of the body was the handiwork of the volunteer group which had co-ordinated  donations from concerned indigenes  of the zone.