'MY SON WANTED TO BECOME A REVEREND FATHER', MOTHER OF 10-YEAR OLD OWERRI MARKET DEMOLITION VICTIM

Though it has been one week since ten - year - old Somtochukwu Ibeanusi was allegedly shot dead by policemen effecting the forceful demolition of the Owerri Main Market on orders of the Imo State Government, the agony , trauma and tragedy of his death still permeate his family house on Oguamanam Street in the state capital .

The street is close to the main market , popularly known as Eke - Ukwu Owerri , which security agents invaded last week Saturday.

Our correspondent noticed during his visit that the house saw a horde of sympathisers trooping in almost every hour .

But it was clear that the deceased ’ s parents , Mr . and Mrs. Isaiah Ibeanusi , were still grappling with the reality of the murder of their only son .

The traumatised parents managed to speak to Saturday PUNCH on the destruction that weapons of law enforcement agents had done in their family .

Mr . Ibeanusi , 52 , struggled with words . But his wife, Ogechukwu , took it upon herself to extensively speak with our correspondent .

She explained that she put to bed two weeks ago and losing her son shortly after was like her world had crumbled at her feet.

Ogechukwu said , “ My husband and I were in one of our shops located in a shopping plaza in the demolition zone , struggling to move some goods inside . We sell phone accessories .

“ As the government began the demolition that day , Somtochukwu and his elder sister, Mmesoma, were packing and arranging goods in one of our others shops in the same area affected by the demolition .

“ All of a sudden , some people rushed in and called my husband . They spoke in hushed tones and he left with them. At that point , I did not know that my only son had 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 that my husband just left and our goods were still in the demolition zone plaza. They insisted and encouraged me to follow them to the house .

“ When we got to our family house , I was told that my son , Somtochukwu , had been shot . The thing sounded to me like a movie because I couldn ’ t believe it.

“ I was led to the Federal Medical Centre , Owerri , where the news of my son ’ s death was again broken to me . I demanded to see his corpse and I was taken to where the lifeless body of my son was . ”

Ogechukwu said the shock sank in a moment later when she saw the body of her son lying cold on a mortuary slab .

She said , “ One moment , I saw my son alive and a short moment later , he was lying cold and dead on a mortuary slab . I called his name several times but he couldn ’ t talk or respond to me .

“ I called out to him again and again but all I got was silence . That was when I knew that he was dead . I think I broke down at that point and everybody rushed and held me. ”

The grieving mother said all she needed at that point was to see her son , upon hearing her voice , respond , clinging to the hope that a last - minute miracle would raise him up .

She said none of the frantic questions she asked everybody around her was answered .

“ All I was told was that he was shot dead . Shot dead for what? By who ? For what reason ? Was he a thief? They kept telling me to take it easy . Take what easy? When my son , the only one for that matter , who committed no crime was killed in cold blood , how could I take anything easy ?” she said .

Struggling to wipe her tears , the grieving mother said that she , husband , and some others had gone to the Assumpta Cathedral , Owerri , to report the incident to the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese , Most Rev . AJV Obinna .

According to her , the prelate met with them, consoled and prayed for their family .

When she was asked what kind of a son Somtochukwu was , Mrs. Ibeanusi burst into a fresh round of tears .

She said , “ Somtochukwu was a covenant child . So many things had happened in his life and God had preserved him through them all. The devil battled me many times while Somtochukwu was still in the womb . Only God and I knew what I went through while I was pregnant of him .

“ I call Somtochukwu a covenant child because he was declared dead six months after I gave birth to him . He stopped breathing . It was only God that brought him back to life.

“Somtochukwu was naturally talented . He wanted to become a Catholic priest or a medical doctor . But he had his eyes fixed on becoming a priest more. He had planned that he would enter secondary school at a seminary this September. But death couldn ’ t allow him live his dream. ”

Ogechukwu said her son was talented to the extent that he could dismantle an entire television set , repair and put it back together .

She said he fixed fans around the house and had in fact become their in - house electrician.

“ My great talented son has been murdered . My husband and I have left vengeance for God , ” the woman said .

She said no amount of punishment or justice would bring her son back .

“ I want justice but I don ’ t want the killer of my only son to be killed . Vengeance is of the Lord . We believe as Christians that God will take control , ” Ogechukwu said .

Mr . Ibeanusi also told Saturday PUNCH that he did not want to make trouble with the killers of his son .

“We have left everything for God to handle . I had four shops at the plaza stocked with phone accessories . All the goods in my shops are gone . We sold goods in wholesale and you know what that means to lose goods in four shops , ” he said .

The bereaved father said since the tragic incident , there had been no visit from any government official .

Meanwhile , the state governor, Rochas Okorocha , has ordered an investigation into the killing of Somtochukwu and others who reportedly lost their lives or were wounded during the demolition .

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor , Sam Onwuemeodo, the investigation would bring to the fore a clear picture of what transpired during the demolition , which was carried out with the deployment of soldiers, policemen, Air Force men , operatives of the Department of State Services and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

However , he said the Imo State Police Command had opened investigation into the incident .

The Commissioner of Police of the Imo State Police Command , Mr . Chris Ezike, told Saturday PUNCH that the investigation would reveal the circumstances that led to the death of the ten - year - old boy .

He explained that a post- mortem would be carried out on the body to determine the actual cause of death .