But for
cruel fate, Master Somtochukwu Ibeanusi who was felled by a stray bullet
allegedly fired by security agents during the demolition of the Eke-
Ukwu three weeks ago, would have started his junior secondary school
this week at a seminary school.
cruel fate, Master Somtochukwu Ibeanusi who was felled by a stray bullet
allegedly fired by security agents during the demolition of the Eke-
Ukwu three weeks ago, would have started his junior secondary school
this week at a seminary school.
He graduated from primary six last July
at East Academy Nursery and Primary school in Owerri. So that singular
bullet extinguished the hope of the family whose only son wanted to be a
catholic priest.
at East Academy Nursery and Primary school in Owerri. So that singular
bullet extinguished the hope of the family whose only son wanted to be a
catholic priest.
Tragic incident
Since that tragic incident, the house of
the Ibeanusis has become a beehive of activities as people from all
walks of life have been trooping to the place at 18 Oguamanam Street,
off Douglas Road, Owerri, to pay their last respects and to condole with
the family. Getting Mrs. Ogechukwu Ibeanusi, his distraught mother, to
speak on the death of her only son, was quite a Herculean task.
the Ibeanusis has become a beehive of activities as people from all
walks of life have been trooping to the place at 18 Oguamanam Street,
off Douglas Road, Owerri, to pay their last respects and to condole with
the family. Getting Mrs. Ogechukwu Ibeanusi, his distraught mother, to
speak on the death of her only son, was quite a Herculean task.
“My husband and I were in one of our
shops at the shopping plaza in the demolition zone, trying to evacuate
the goods in the shop because my husband deals in phone accessories,”
she said while recalling the tragic incident. “Because the state
government has already started the demolition that morning, Somtochukwu
and his elder sister, Mmesoma, were sent to pack the goods in one of our
shops in the same area also being demolished.
shops at the shopping plaza in the demolition zone, trying to evacuate
the goods in the shop because my husband deals in phone accessories,”
she said while recalling the tragic incident. “Because the state
government has already started the demolition that morning, Somtochukwu
and his elder sister, Mmesoma, were sent to pack the goods in one of our
shops in the same area also being demolished.
It’s while carrying out that instruction
that the boy was killed in controversial circumstances. Controversial
because opinions are divided as to whether his death was from a
deliberate shot or circumstantial, from stray bullet, as being claimed
in some quarters.
that the boy was killed in controversial circumstances. Controversial
because opinions are divided as to whether his death was from a
deliberate shot or circumstantial, from stray bullet, as being claimed
in some quarters.
How it happened
The woman recounted details of how the
tragedy began to unravel. “As we were still busy trying to pack out our
goods, some of our neighbours rushed in and called my husband and
whispered something to him and he left with them immediately, but I did
not know what it was all about. I did not know that my only son has been
killed. After a while, some people that I know in the neigbhourhood
came and asked me to follow them to our house. I refused and told them
that my husband just left and our goods were still at the plaza which is
being demolished. But they persuaded me to follow them to the house.”
tragedy began to unravel. “As we were still busy trying to pack out our
goods, some of our neighbours rushed in and called my husband and
whispered something to him and he left with them immediately, but I did
not know what it was all about. I did not know that my only son has been
killed. After a while, some people that I know in the neigbhourhood
came and asked me to follow them to our house. I refused and told them
that my husband just left and our goods were still at the plaza which is
being demolished. But they persuaded me to follow them to the house.”
On reaching there she learnt that her
only son has been shot, but that was half of the story. The naked truth
was when, in company of relatives and sympathizers, she got to the
Federal Medical Centre where he was rushed to after the shooting. “When I
saw his lifeless body I knew that my world has collapsed,” she said.
only son has been shot, but that was half of the story. The naked truth
was when, in company of relatives and sympathizers, she got to the
Federal Medical Centre where he was rushed to after the shooting. “When I
saw his lifeless body I knew that my world has collapsed,” she said.
“Somtochukwu was a covenant child,” she informed Saturday Sun.
“The devil did not want him to be born but God was with him and he was
eventually born. I called him Somtochukwu (Join me/Follow me to praise
God) because he was declared dead after six months when he was born but
God brought him to life. He was very talented but for his death he would
have entered the seminary this month because he wanted to be a catholic
priest but all that is now gone”.
“The devil did not want him to be born but God was with him and he was
eventually born. I called him Somtochukwu (Join me/Follow me to praise
God) because he was declared dead after six months when he was born but
God brought him to life. He was very talented but for his death he would
have entered the seminary this month because he wanted to be a catholic
priest but all that is now gone”.
She said that the family had handed over
the matter to God. Although none of the relations agreed to speak on the
matter, Ikechukwu Oha who was an eyewitness disclosed that Somtochukwu
was allegedly shot by soldiers.
the matter to God. Although none of the relations agreed to speak on the
matter, Ikechukwu Oha who was an eyewitness disclosed that Somtochukwu
was allegedly shot by soldiers.
“We were standing close to the multi-line
motor company close to Douglas by Mbaise road when suddenly soldiers in
an army vehicle with a mounted gunnery started shooting
indiscriminately by turning the mounted gun in all directions,” he
recalled. “We started running; we were all running to escape as bullets
were flying in all directions and Somtochukwu was among those who were
running. I think he must have
been hit by the bullet. From where I was, I saw one of the army
personnel speaking to the man in the vehicle with the mounted gunnery
when it dawned on them that someone had been shot. But after their
conversation the soldier who had been manning that vehicle was asked to
come out. As he came out, he entered an army jeep and he was driven out
from the scene and another soldier was asked to take over the vehicle
with the mounted gunnery.”
motor company close to Douglas by Mbaise road when suddenly soldiers in
an army vehicle with a mounted gunnery started shooting
indiscriminately by turning the mounted gun in all directions,” he
recalled. “We started running; we were all running to escape as bullets
were flying in all directions and Somtochukwu was among those who were
running. I think he must have
been hit by the bullet. From where I was, I saw one of the army
personnel speaking to the man in the vehicle with the mounted gunnery
when it dawned on them that someone had been shot. But after their
conversation the soldier who had been manning that vehicle was asked to
come out. As he came out, he entered an army jeep and he was driven out
from the scene and another soldier was asked to take over the vehicle
with the mounted gunnery.”
Initially, it was not clear who was shot,
he added. They were to discover that after things had calmed down.
Ugochukwu Mere who also witnessed the incident confirmed that
Somtochukwu was killed by stray bullet from the soldiers’ gunfire.
According to him, “there was indiscriminate shooting on that day
particularly by the soldiers and as people were running helter-skelter,
it was in that confusion that he was hit by stray bullet. About eight
other persons were equally hit by stray bullets on that sad day but only
the boy died.”
he added. They were to discover that after things had calmed down.
Ugochukwu Mere who also witnessed the incident confirmed that
Somtochukwu was killed by stray bullet from the soldiers’ gunfire.
According to him, “there was indiscriminate shooting on that day
particularly by the soldiers and as people were running helter-skelter,
it was in that confusion that he was hit by stray bullet. About eight
other persons were equally hit by stray bullets on that sad day but only
the boy died.”
Traders’ complaints
Meanwhile, traders at the new market at
Egbeada where the state government has relocated the demolished Eke-Ukwu
Owerri have complained of lack of sufficient stalls to accommodate
them.
Egbeada where the state government has relocated the demolished Eke-Ukwu
Owerri have complained of lack of sufficient stalls to accommodate
them.
One of them, Madam Adanma Ejiogu, who
sells foodstuffs said that though the governor had promised to give
stalls free to traders for three months before they start paying, the
stalls are not enough.
sells foodstuffs said that though the governor had promised to give
stalls free to traders for three months before they start paying, the
stalls are not enough.
“The stalls are not enough and everybody
is struggling to get a space to put their tables unlike at Eke Ukwu
Owerri where all have shops,” she said. “And again we do not have
customers as we used to have at Eke Ukwu Owerri, because most people
don’t come here due to the distance.”
is struggling to get a space to put their tables unlike at Eke Ukwu
Owerri where all have shops,” she said. “And again we do not have
customers as we used to have at Eke Ukwu Owerri, because most people
don’t come here due to the distance.”
Mrs. Monica Amadi, who sells smoked fish
managed to get a space but like Ejiogu she also lamented low business
patronage. Most buyers now prefer to go to Relief market since the
demolition of Eke- Ukwu Owerri, she said. “This place is a bit far from
the city centre,” she said. “Only those who patronise us here are mostly
from this area.”
managed to get a space but like Ejiogu she also lamented low business
patronage. Most buyers now prefer to go to Relief market since the
demolition of Eke- Ukwu Owerri, she said. “This place is a bit far from
the city centre,” she said. “Only those who patronise us here are mostly
from this area.”