Mr.Godspower Chibuike Kamalu with blasted left cheek allegedly blasted by aides of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, still laying critically at FUTH, Owerri
From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Governor Hope Uzodimma’s aides, Hon. Chinasa Nwaneri, Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Implementation, Hon Franklin Nkem Nzewodo, the General Manager, Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA and an officer of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC have been allegedly identified as the culprits to last Tuesday blood bath of Imo youthful traders in the popular Ogbo Oshishi Market along Whethral road Owerri in which 24 year old Godspower Chibuike Kamalu of Umuoyima autonomous community in Owerri Municipal Council and 27 year Ezenwa Nwaeze of Isiala Mbano LGA both of Imo State are still laying critical at the Emergency Ward of Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri (FUTH, Owerri).
According to, Mr. Austin Kamalu, the father of one of the victims (Godspower Chibuike Kamalu) who spoke to Journalist on Thursday at FUTH, Owerri amidst uncontrollable tears.
Kamalu said, he was told by eye witnesses that the incident happened already 10 am in the morning when Nwaneri and Nzewodo,in a Command like style came unannounced with their men that included litany of seemed battle ready security men and started to demolish the shops and shanties at the popular market with sporadic shootings just to scare unlookers.
“Unfortunately, when they came with their bulldozer, litany of security men and thugs, my son was not around and as they were desperately demolishing the multi billion Naira age long market.
“One of my son’s neighbours and friend called him, alerted him and for him to quickly run down and remove his goods to safety as most of them were already doing.
“He rush down and started removing his goods, it was in the process of removing his goods that a stray bullet from the sporadic shooting by one of the trigger happy security men that followed the duo hit him on his right jaw, blasted his face with deep cut and left him on the pool of his own blood and similarly on the fore head of Ezenwa, a co youthful trader as people hurriedly ran for safety thinking that both of them have dead” he cried out.
Kamalu expressed disappointment that up to the time of filing this report, that neither any official of Imo State government nor Nwaneri nor Nzewodo even as kinsmen have shown up to ask, talk less of sympathizing with them.
“It’s really unfortunate, the kind of human beings we have in this State as government officials. Can you imagine, my son is newly wedded and his wife is about 8 months pregnant” he sighed,became emotional again, and started crying profusely like a baby.
It’s pertinent to recall, that this incident is akin to what happened in the State on Saturday 26th August 2017 during the administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his Rescue Mission as Owerri the State capital was thrown into pandemonium following the death of a 10-year-old boy, Somtochukwu Ibeanusi, who was allegedly shot dead by soldiers from the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze.
The soldiers were said to have been deployed to maintain law and order during the demolition of the Owerri Main Market, popularly known as Eke-Ukwu Owerri, by the State Government.
But the soldiers allegedly opened fire on residents protesting the demolition of the market.
The father of the deceased, Isaiah Ibeanusi, who was in tears at his No. 9 Oguamanam Street residence, close to the demolished market, told reporters that his son died instantly after a stray bullet hit him on his head.
Ibeanusi further said the tragic incident occurred while he was trying to remove his goods during the demolition exercise, which was supervised by the Joint Security Task Force that comprised the Army, Police, State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Air Force.
Similarly, Mr. Ikechukwu Kamalu, a blood brother of one of the victims narrated how the medical team at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri asked them to go to Imo Police Command to get Police Report to enable them commenced adequate treatment.
Despite the urgency of the matter, that at the Police Command’s headquarters they were again asked to go to the office of the Command’s Police Public Relation’s Officer, PPRO headed by DSP Henry Okoye, that it was from there and then that the Police asked them to write a petition to the State Commissioner of Police.
“It was there that some Police men told us point blank that the person that made the sporadic shooting was one of the staffs of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Imo State Command guiding the OCDA Chairman”.
Kamalu said they were informed that the NSCDC officer was furiously, spontaneously and persistently shooting on the Wetheral Road hard tarred road, just to scare people and the bullets were forcefully flying out and hitting people who were running halter scatter within the vicinity and that was how his brother was a victim of his right jaw’s indepth blast and blood was rushing like an open pump tap.
He again told the Journalist, that the Police insisted that the ugly incident have nothing to do with them and this was inadvertently collaborated with by a Police officer attached to Tiger Based Police Section assuring of his willingness to identify the NSCDC officer that did the triggered exciting shootings that wrecked the inhuman havocs any time, any day.
Kamalu furiously lambasted the management and staff of Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri for what he described as, “too much bureaucratic processes, lackadaisical inhuman medical attention and high cost of medical demands”.
“Can you imagine, we have been here since Tuesday, the incident happened, today is Thursday they have not been able to transfuse blood to him. They always complain that there equipment and system is down and often lacks digital network to process samples of tests they have collected and needed to conduct test and other things.
“My brother have been in serious pains. Despite their charges, many of the drugs and medical materials are not in their Pharmacy, you have to run from pillars to poles outside the hospital to get the medications at exploitative cost.
“You can see for hours now there’s no light in the emergency ward. They’ll tell you, we need these drugs for the patient, but when you go to their Pharmacy after long waiting, what they will tell you is that,”it’s no available” even in the middle of the night, you will be compelled to go outside to look for the drugs, despite insecurities” he lamented.
However, this reporter made several hour calls to Messrs Chinasa Nwaneri and Frankly Nzewodo without them picking nor responding to the calls.
Subsequently, the under stated message was sent to their phone lines through SMS and WhatsApp, yet it seemed as if they never deem it necessary to respond.
“Sir, good morning. My name is Everest Ezihe of The Authority Newspaper I have been calling with regards to the ugly incident that happened at Whethral Road, Owerri ( Ogbo Oshishi Market) last Tuesday, in which one of NSCDC officers attached to your security details is alleged to have masterminded the stray bullets that injured two Imo born youthful traders, Godspower Chibuike Kamalu and Ezenwa Nwanze, who are still laying critical at the Emergency Ward of Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri (FUTH) . Please we ask for your reaction (s)”.
