For Mr. Christian Iwunze, life was about family. He was the second of two siblings and the only son. But, as if to compensate for his parents' slim family, he did not only opt for early marriage, he also had more children than they did.
A baby girl opened the womb for the family. Two more girl children followed in quick succession. After the usual trepidation of "are we going to end up with an all-female family," a set of twin boys was born. If you thought that was enough, then wait for this: another three girls came in quick succession. Then, another set of twin boys!
Blessed with such a large family, Iwunze knew no life outside the family apart from his job in an oil servicing company.
Though Iwunze and wife, Catherine, did not obtain university education, virtually all their children do, with some acquiring postgraduate degrees in engineering, while one of their daughters is pursuing a doctoral degree.
For a man that had spent all his life in the training of his children, Iwunze, an indigene of Umueze, Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State was elated when one of his first set of twin boys, Okechukwu, announced his wedding. Iwunze took it as his personal responsibility to ensure that this happened without any breach.
Okechukwu's wedding to Miss Uchechi Orji was fixed for Saturday, September 5, but four days before the event, on Tuesday, August 28, tragedy struck! A group of five unidentified men shot Iwunze to death just at the gate of his residence on 19, Umundula Orji Street, Off Urattah Road, Owerri, Imo State.
Iwunze was killed two days after suspected hired assassins murdered a former director of the Central Bank of Nigeria; and one day after a politician was murdered, all in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The suspected assassins killed the former CBN director, Mr. Charles Nwosu, at the Ekeukwu Central Market on Douglas Road. A police inspector who engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle and two unidentified persons were also killed.
Their killers operated in a RAV 4 Sports Utility Vehicle and, mysteriously, the killers of Iwunze also operated in a RAV 4 Sports Utility Vehicle. Could it be that the killers of the erstwhile CBN director also killed Iwunze? If they were the same killers, what was the connection? These questions have remained unanswered. Worse still, law enforcements agents in Imo State seem overwhelmed by the growing insecurity.
Before now, several people, including traditional rulers, businessmen, politicians and public office holders had, at various times and places, either been kidnapped for ransom or murdered in cold blood for reasons yet unknown. Consequently, especially in areas that do not have enough police presence, night life has nose-dived in the state.
One of such victims was Pastor Anselm Iwuala, who was still murdered by his abductors despite a N500,000 paid by his family for his freedom.
Iwuala was travelling to his country home in Egberede Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, when he was abducted by gunmen on the very busy Okpala-Mbaise road. That was in June.
Again, on the night of May 7, 2012, the traditional ruler of Umueze-Abazu, Ogwa, Mbaitoli LGA, Eze Stanley Akuneto, was allegedly murdered in cold blood in his palace by two gunmen who reportedly rode on a motorcycle.
And as if to underscore the crass helplessness of the situation, even the governor's elder sister, her husband, members of her household and all the occupants of the three cars on her convoy escaped death narrowly on May 19, 2012, when armed robbers opened fire on the vehicle in which they were travelling at Egbeada, Mbaitoli LGA.
Indeed, the list of dastardly acts is endless.
When our correspondent visited the police station in Owerri North, where the matter concerning Iwunze's killing was referred to, the police officers on duty all refused to speak. It was also difficult to ascertain the identities of the officers being talked to, as they each covered their name tags with handkerchiefs.
In response to our correspondent's enquiry, one of them simply said, "The matter has been transferred to the state CID. Go there and find out what is happening."
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Adisa Bolanta, also did not comment on the matter. He would not take his calls and did not respond to text messages sent to his mobile telephone.
Iwunze's first child, Mrs. Peace Okeke, said, "My father was a peaceful man and was not a politician. He diligently went about his work. He was once offered a chieftaincy title because of his contribution to his community, but he rejected it," Mrs. Okeke explained.
She said, "He was even offered a knighthood in the church but he also rejected it. He kept on saying that he was not interested in receiving titles or holding positions, but only wanted to help his people and serve God.
"I just don't know where this is coming from. From the stories we have been hearing, it is becoming obvious that people were paid to kill my father. What for, I don't know. It is still a mystery to us."
Despite the sad issue, the family went ahead with the wedding, consoled by the fact that their late father would not have had it otherwise.
In the interim, Iwunze's widow, Catherine, has yet to find her voice. She is still in shock and, according to one of her daughters, Peace, she has remained in a state of shock since the incident.
Okechukwu's twin brother, Emeka, expressed concern that the police have yet to come up with concrete finding since their father's death.
Emeka said, "We have been the ones reminding them that they need to investigate the matter. They have been so reluctant to interrogate any of us. We had to compel them to remove the car my father rode in when he was killed, which they only did on Tuesday, a week after the incident.
"I am surprised at the action of the police. Those who killed my father overtook his car and waited at our gate; and when he tried to drive into the compound, they rushed out and shot at the tyres. Then, two of them dragged my father out of the car, leaving his 20-year-old apprentice, Cletus Ikeadi, behind.
"They took him to their jeep and as soon as one of the remaining three assassins who stayed behind in the jeep identified him, they rained bullets on him. But till date, the police have been acting as though nothing happened and everyone in Owerri is now scared of walking on the street."
Meanwhile, the Imo State Government, in its efforts to curb crime in the state, has concluded arrangements to launch emergency rapid response scheme, especially to curb kidnapping and assassinations.
Governor Rochas Okorocha disclosed this when the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adisa Bolanta paid him a visit earlier in the month.
Okorocha informed the new police commissioner that he would ask the Inspector General of Police to post more policemen to the state, especially in local government areas which are currently underpoliced.
The governor noted that the security challenges in the state included kidnapping, vandalism, assassinations, among others; urging the new police commissioner to brace up to the challenges, with the aim of restoring peace to the beleaguered state.
In his response during a tour of some South-East states recently, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, urged the governor to create more jobs for Imo people. This, according to him, would help in reducing crime in the state.
He promised to assist the governor and Imo people in their bid to reduce crimes in the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Mr. Okey Okorocha, said in order to reduce the crime rate, the Imo State Government had initiated an incentive — giving N1m to anybody who could give useful information leading to the arrest of kidnapers in the state, while any person that provides information for the recovery of guns would be awarded N50,000.
The state government has also offered insurance scheme to members of the local vigilante groups that may, in the course of duty, either sustain injuries or die.
Governemnt said an undisclosed amount of money would be paid as compensation to the bereaved family.
The aide also revealsed that the state government had introduced a radio programme where callers were provided with information on security measures in the state.
He revealed that Americans and Israeli agencies were training some persons on how to combat kidnappers.
He said, "As soon as these people conclude their training, kidnapping will be over in the state."
http://www.punchng.com/feature/bandits-on-the-loose-in-imo/
