…deceased’s mother cries out for justice
By CHUKS EKE
It was a black Thursday for members of Omeh family from Enugwu-Ezike community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu state, resident in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra state following the gruesome murder of a teenage member of the family, Arinze Omeh, by a middle-aged man, Babangida Eluemuno, identified as son of the landlord of the deceased.
The deceased Omeh, a trader at Onitsha main market, according to an eye-witness, was allegedly stabbed to death on the fateful Thursday, June 11, this year at about 7.45 p.m. at No. 9 Agba Street, Inland Town, Onitsha, his residence, by the suspect, Babangida who was identified as one of the sons of the late landlord of the house where both of them live.
The suspect, according to the source, is currently cooling off in the custody of Anambra State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, Awka, having been arrested, detained briefly and transferred from Inland Police Division, Onitsha where the case was originally incidented.
According to Oluchukwu Omeh, elder brother to the deceased, trouble ensued between Arinze and Babangida when he (Babangida) allegedly told him (Arinze) to stop using a broom meant for sweeping inside the house to sweep outside.
Oluchukwu who said he witnessed the incident from beginning to the end, stated further:”On that fateful day, I returned home with Arinze, my younger brother from the main market where we are trading and as we sat down within the compound to rest and discuss our family matters, Babangida came out from somewhere and warned my late brother to stop using the broom meant for sweeping the compound to sweep rooms”.
“In a reply, Arinze told Babangida that he had heard him because he had already sounded this same warning to him earlier in the morning”.
Oluchukwu alleged that angered by the spontaneous reaction from Arinze, Babangida rushed towards his direction and landed a heavy slap on Arinze’s cheeks before descending heavily on him (Oluchukwu) too.
He further alleged that his own attempt to rescue Arinze from the grip of Babangida infuriated him so much so that he used a broken bottle and stabbed him on the left wrist and while he was still trying to control the blood, Babangida again reached for his broken down tricycle, picked up a knife.
He also alleged that on seeing the knife, the deceased Arinze made an attempt to escape unhurt but Babangida’s someone he identified as Babangida’s brother allegedly held Arinze tight, thus preventing him from defending himself until Babangida got closer and stabbed Arinze on the neck, which prompted the outflow of blood.
He said as blood continued to flow ceaselessly from Arinze’s neck, he quickly hired a tricycle and rushed him to Onitsha General Hospital for medical attention but the hospital authorities refused to admit him on the ground that the case was too complicated, adding that by the time they could rush Arinze to a nearby private hospital, the medical personnel confirmed him dead on arrival and his lifeless body was taken to a morgue and deposited.
He said on getting to Inland Police Division, to lodge a complaint, he observed that Babangida’s elder brother who had allegedly held Arinze tight and prevented him from escaping from Babangida’s blade, had already rushed to the police station and made an entry which prompted the police to arrest and detain Babangida.
Arinze’s mother, Mrs. Omeh who cried uncontrollably, told newsmen amidst tears of sorrow that she was demanding for justice from the relevant authorities.
Council to the deceased family, Victor C. Alo who confirmed that he was just returning from the state CID where he had gone to fine tune the investigation process of the matter, through his petition addressed to the state commissioner of police to ensure detailed and flawless investigations, recalled that Babangida was first detained at Inland Police Division for some days before his transfer to the Homicide Section of the state CID, adding that he would follow the case to its logical conclusion.
Alo however commended the Police for arresting the suspect but urged them to ensure discreet investigation in the matter to ensure that all the perpetrators of the heinous crime would not go unpunished.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Haruna Mohammed, a Superintendent of Police, SP, who confirmed the incident, told newsmen on phone that the matter was still under investigations, after which prosecution would follow suit.
Meantime, some youths and stakeholders from Igboeze-North resident in Anambra state, under the umbrella of Umuopu youths have vowed to follow the case to its logical conclusion.
