It was a skewed version of what critics call a wedding and a funeral. The first part happened in Awomama, Imo State, on July 17. A young man, Chigozie Nnanna, invited friends and family to his post-wedlock/wine-carrying reception, according to witnesses.
After the day of jollity, they proceeded home, and they ran into a hail of bullets. According to Intersociety, a civil society group, the horror lasted from about 6:30p.m. to about 1a.m.
“… On getting to Ishieke Junction in Awomama community, sounds of live bullet gunshots started raining and rented the air, leading to a stampede, confusion and running helter-skelter by the returnees with some scampering for safety and others felled by live bullets… In the ensuing melee, scores were shot at close range and felled by bullets while others ran into the nearby bush and managed to escape,” reported Intersociety.
Some reports say seven persons died. Some other reports mention 14. Over 30 persons were injured in varying degrees of precariousness. Here is Intersociety’s account: “The names of the seven recovered dead victims/indigenes of Otulu Community in Oru West killed by Nigerian Army-allied/trained Ebubeagu Government Militia are Late Citizens Chigozie Obinwa, Chikere Anyadioha, Ifechi Ekesinachi and Emeka Ekesinachi (two blood brothers), Aboy Ihegboro, Chijindu and Ozioma; with five persons still missing.”
Other accounts say the groom died. But no watertight confirmation yet. It is however sad that the community has erupted in protests over what they see as a diabolical use of power by the security outfit known as Ebubeagu, set up by the state government under Hope Uzodinma.
The state governor has denied the charge that the dead were innocent citizens. Governor Uzodinma said it was a case of local bandits on evil mission gunned down by the security operatives aided by the Nigeria Police Force.
The governor said he had a security briefing and the head of the Directorate of State Services in the state assured him that the dead were not wedding guests but individuals out to no good. From all reports, the community and many citizens of the state, including civil society organisations who have conducted investigations, do not believe the version of the governor and the DSS.
There are important questions to ask on this matter. One, there are claims that the dead had no weapons. Was it true? Was there any evidence of exchange of gunshots? The reports say that those who survived and hid in the bushes placed calls to elders in their communities, especially the president-general of Otulu community and calls where then placed to high-ranking persons in the state, including legislators representing the community. Was this true as well? The fact that such calls were made indicates that there were eye witnesses. It is also curious from some reports that the shooting lasted for hours into wee hours of the morning. The governor and the DSS are too implicated to be neutral. We expect an independent inquiry that will unearth the cold facts.
If it is true that the victims were from a party, it is really sad, and it will become a Shakespearean wedding before a funeral. This is of the odd sort.
A family and community that was just happy to join two young people together will now lament a feast. This has become Nigeria’s odyssey in the past decade and things get worse as we hear and see yarns of tragedies from among us, as though we have no government and no law.
If Ebubeagu was set up to save a society drifting, the Awomama story is not a good example of how to do it.