An Ikeja High Court on Monday ordered that the late Rear Adm. Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd) be buried on October 15 instead of October 16 as earlier announced.
Justice Christopher Balogun said his ruling was based on the fact that security could be compromised due to the APC convention that is scheduled to take place in the south-east.
Th judge ordered the Nigerian Navy to move the corpse from Lagos to Imo and hand over to the state government prior to the burial.
Kanu, a former military administrator of Lagos and Imo, died in Lagos on January 13 at the age of 77 as a result of COVID-19 complications.
Gladys Kanu, one of the two wives of the deceased, had dragged other members of the Kanu family and the Nigerian Navy to court over how his funeral rites should be conducted.
“The Nigerian Navy shall prepare the corpse in full regalia of a Rear Admiral and shall fly and carry his remains from the Military Mortuary in Ojo, Lagos on Wednesday, 13th October and proceed to the Muritala Mohammed International Airport,” Justice Balogun said.
“The remains shall be flown to the Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri, Imo State, where the body will be identified by the ‘Ada’ of the family.
“It shall then proceed to the Government House to be received by the Imo State Governor and the wives and family of the late Rear Admiral and people of Imo State.”
After the the lying-in-state in Imo, Balogun said the body will then be moved to Abia for a full state burial, adding that the wives and all the children are entitled to participate jointly in the burial rites.
The case was adjourned until November 15 for mention.
