“They said she must do DNA for the children” — Activist Israel Joe demands justice for widow of Delta hotelier
Delta State-based human rights activist Israel Joe has publicly called out the family of the late 46-year-old businessman Okpako Henry, demanding an immediate end to the alleged harassment, physical assault, and dispossession directed at his grieving widow and four children.
The deceased, who operated a prominent gadget business at Robson Plaza in Effurun and managed property investments across the state, died mysteriously on June 1, 2026, after slumping during an outing in Udu.
Following his sudden death, relatives of the late hotelier allegedly turned on his widow, demanding the immediate surrender of all property deeds, hotel financial records, and recently collected tenant rents before allowing the burial to proceed.
Demands for DNA testing, autopsy funding, and physical violence
Detailing the widow’s ordeal in a public statement, Israel Joe revealed that the late businessman’s family summoned the widow and her children to their ancestral home in Abraka, where they were subjected to severe physical assault.
The activist disclosed that the family accused the widow of being spiritually responsible for her husband’s death, citing claims from local diviners.
In addition to demanding that she hand over all real estate documents and business accounts, the family insisted that the widow must personally fund both the police autopsy and DNA paternity tests for all four of her children.
According to Joe, the family justified their actions by claiming the late businessman prioritised his immediate family, wife and children, over his extended relatives while alive.
They allegedly declared intentions to seize his assets and evict the family from their matrimonial home.
Rights activist vows legal action to protect grieving family
Rebuffing the family’s demands, Israel Joe issued a stern warning against further intimidation, stating that legal steps are being instituted to safeguard the widow and her children, two of whom are teenagers.
“None of you would dare to beat up the widow and her children ever again. You can’t even demand his properties, control them, or drive the children out of their father’s house,” Joe stated.
He cautioned the family against interfering with tenants or attempting unlawful takeovers of the deceased’s real estate holdings, warning that any further harassment will result in immediate criminal prosecution for trespass and assault under the law.
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