A family in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State has been thrown into deep sorrow after their 20-month-old baby, Emmanuel Eleweke, was killed by a stray bullet in what has been described as a mysterious and tragic incident.
The heartbreaking event took place around 10:00 p.m. on Monday at Umuoba-Uratta, a quiet community near Owerri, the Imo State capital.
According to the mother of the child, Mrs. Kelechi Eleweke, she was lying on the bed with her son, Emmanuel, after dinner and night prayers when the tragedy struck. In an emotional account, she explained how the child had just finished answering “Amen” during prayers when he suddenly rolled off her body and lay beside her on the bed.
“A few seconds later, I heard a loud sound and felt something like sand splashing on me,” she recounted. “My son started screaming ‘mummy, mummy.’ When I looked at him, I saw blood all over his body and the bed.”
In panic, the distraught parents rushed Emmanuel to a nearby private hospital. However, instead of receiving emergency medical care, the hospital staff reportedly demanded a police report before attending to the wounded child.
Despite their desperate pleas, the family was turned away with only a plaster placed on the child’s head. The child’s father, Mr. Okechukwu Eleweke, was left with no choice but to rush him to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owerri.
“For the time we were on the road, I believe he was still alive,” the grieving father said. “But when we got to FMC, the doctor checked him and pronounced him dead on arrival.”
The source of the bullet that killed Emmanuel remains unknown. However, local residents said they heard sporadic gunshots on Monday night in the area. The shootings reportedly lasted for over 30 minutes.
“I didn’t know about the gunshots until Tuesday morning when neighbours mentioned it,” Mr. Eleweke said. “We don’t know who was shooting or why, but that stray bullet killed my innocent son.”
A former youth leader in the community, Mr. Chika Ibeawuchi, who also spoke to reporters, described the incident as a tragedy the community had never experienced before. He confirmed that he heard the gunshots but could not identify the direction or who was responsible.
Police officers from the Owerri North Divisional Headquarters visited the family on Tuesday and took the child’s body for an autopsy and forensic examination to retrieve the bullet. The police spokesperson has yet to release an official statement, but community leaders and residents are calling for a full investigation.
“This is a painful and senseless loss,” Ibeawuchi said. “We urge the police to dig deep into this case and ensure the people behind the gunshots are brought to justice.”
The tragic death of baby Emmanuel has sparked anger and concern across the community, with many calling for tighter security and better regulation of firearms to prevent further tragedies.
The Eleweke family is now left to mourn the loss of their third child, who died in their arms under the most painful circumstances—an innocent life ended by a bullet no one saw coming.
