Onyinyechi Uzor, a nursing mother in Ekoli, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has called on the Security Agencies and the Government to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the gruesome killing of her husband, Nnachi Uzor.
The tragic incident occurred last week Wednesday when suspected political thugs stormed their residence and shot Nnachi dead in the presence of his wife and four children.
Narrating the ordeal, Onyinyechi, who is currently nursing a two-month-old baby, recounted that her husband was undressing their children, who had just returned from school, when the attackers invaded their home.
“My husband and I were helping our children out of their school uniforms when the armed men broke in. There was an argument, and one of them ordered another, called Deri, to shoot. He did. My husband was shot dead right in front of us,” she said tearfully.
She further described how her son attempted to confront the attacker:
“My son told him, ‘You have killed my father,’ and tried to throw a stone at him. Deri threatened to shoot him too if he dared.”
The attackers fled shortly after, leaving the grieving family in chaos and sorrow.
Onyinyechi, still shaken by the incident, described her late husband as a peaceful, humble, and law-abiding man with no known dispute or conflict with anyone in the community.
“I don’t know how I will survive this. My husband wasn’t a troublemaker. He was a calm and respectful man. Why should anyone want him dead?” she asked in despair.
“Now, I’m left with a two-month-old baby and three other little children. How are we supposed to survive without him?”
The Ekoli community has been enmeshed in a crisis in recent weeks, resulting in several deaths and the destruction of properties worth millions of naira. The unrest prompted an intervention by Governor Francis Nwifuru, who called for peace and warned against the proliferation of arms in the area.
Confirming the incident, Joshua Ukandu, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi State, said the State Command had begun an investigation and made arrests.
“We have deployed officers to the area. Two suspects have already been arrested. The situation is under control, and the area is relatively calm for now,” he said.
The widow, however, insists that justice must be served and calls on the Government to ensure the full prosecution of those involved in her husband’s murder.
