A tragic night in Umuoba-Uratta, Imo State, claimed the life of 20-month-old Emmanuel Eleweke, struck by a stray bullet at home.
The grieving family seeks answers as police launch an investigation into the mysterious gunfire that shattered their peaceful community.
A heartbreaking tragedy struck the peaceful community of Umuoba-Uratta in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State on Monday night, as a stray bullet ended the life of a 20-month-old boy named Emmanuel Eleweke. The incident, which occurred around 10 p.m., has left residents shocked and grieving.
According to reports, the little boy, who was the third child of Mr. and Mrs. Okechukwu Eleweke, was fatally hit by an unidentified bullet while resting in his parents’ home. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, and the source of the bullet has not yet been identified.
In an emotional interview, the boy’s mother, Mrs. Kelechi Eleweke, recalled the painful final moments with her son. She said they had just finished eating dinner and saying their night prayers when the incident happened. During their prayers, she remembered specifically asking God to protect her husband from sudden death. Her son, still learning to speak, responded with a heartfelt “Amen.”
After the prayer session, the mother and son remained on the bed together, playing briefly before the little boy laid on her body to sleep. Moments later, he shifted away from her, lying beside her instead. Despite her efforts to cuddle him back to sleep, he resisted. Then, without warning, she heard a loud noise and felt what seemed like particles of sand hitting her skin.
Immediately after the strange sound, the toddler screamed out for help, crying “Mummy, Mummy” repeatedly. Mrs. Eleweke said she turned to see her son covered in blood, with more blood soaking into the bedsheet. In a panic, she grabbed him and rushed out of the house with her husband following closely behind.
They headed to the nearest private hospital in search of urgent medical assistance. But what they met at the hospital only added to their despair. The woman described how a man, who appeared to be a medical practitioner, refused to begin treatment without first seeing a police report. Despite their pleas and the critical condition of the child, he reportedly only wrapped the boy’s head in a plaster and advised them to proceed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owerri.
Still desperate to save their son, Mrs. Eleweke said she quickly returned home to put on proper clothing while her husband continued on the journey with their injured child. According to Mr. Okechukwu Eleweke, they waited for some time by the roadside before finding a vehicle that could take them to FMC. He believes the boy was still alive during the journey, although in a severely weakened state.
Unfortunately, upon arrival at the hospital’s emergency paediatric unit, the doctors on duty pronounced Emmanuel dead. The family, devastated by the loss, said they had no idea where the deadly bullet came from or who was responsible.
It was not until the next morning, Tuesday, that they began to hear from neighbors about reports of gunshots that had been fired the night before. Mr. Eleweke said he hadn’t heard the gunfire himself but was told by residents that there were sporadic shootings in the area late Monday night. What might have caused the gunfire remains a mystery to the grieving family.
“People said some unknown persons were firing shots in the area, but we don’t know who they are or why they were doing it,” he added.
A community member and former youth leader, Mr. Chika Ibeawuchi, expressed deep sadness over the child’s death. He said he was not sure where the gunfire originated but confirmed that the shooting lasted for over half an hour.
“This is a painful tragedy. Nothing like this has ever happened in our community before. We are in mourning,” Ibeawuchi said.
He also confirmed that officers from the Owerri North Divisional Police Headquarters arrived at the scene the following morning and took the child’s body along with the father. The purpose, according to him, was to allow for proper examination and extraction of the bullet to aid the investigation.
He urged law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation to uncover those responsible for the act that led to the untimely death of the innocent child.
Efforts to get an official response from the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his phone were not returned. However, a senior officer at the divisional headquarters confirmed the incident on the condition of anonymity, stating that the case was already being handled.
As the investigation continues, the family of the little boy remains in mourning, grappling with the painful loss of a child whose life was cut short by a tragedy they never imagined would reach their doorstep.
