A quiet evening turned into a night of mourning on Monday, June 9, 2025, when a stray bullet tore through the roof of a home in Umuoba-Uratta, Owerri North LGA of Imo State, killing 20-month-old Emmanuel Eleweke while he lay beside his mother. The heartbreaking incident, which occurred around 10:05 PM, has sparked outrage and renewed calls for action against indiscriminate shootings and poor emergency response systems
The child’s mother, Mrs. Kelechi Eleweke, gave a chilling account of the incident. Moments after praying with her toddler, she recalled a loud sound and a sudden shower of what felt like sand. Her son screamed, blood soaked the mattress, and life as she knew it was shattered in seconds. “He was just lying on my chest… then he rolled off, and then the sound came. My baby screamed ‘Mummy!’ one last time,” she said, her voice cracking under the weight of fresh grief.
Desperate for help, Mr. and Mrs. Eleweke rushed their injured son to a nearby private clinic, but their nightmare worsened when the staff allegedly refused to treat the child without a police report. Despite repeated pleas, the only treatment administered was a crude bandaging of his wound before they were told to head to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owerri. By the time they arrived, doctors declared the child dead on arrival.
Witnesses in the community confirmed that the area had been rattled by sporadic gunshots that same night. Residents believe the fatal bullet may have originated from nearby celebratory gunfire, though the source remains unknown. A former youth leader, Mr. Chika Ibeawuchi, described the chaos: “We heard the gunshots; they lasted over 30 minutes. Nobody thought it would cost a child’s life. This has never happened in our village.”
Security operatives from Owerri North Division arrived on the scene the following morning and took the child’s remains, accompanied by his grieving father, for ballistic examination. The goal, according to a senior officer who requested anonymity, is to extract the bullet and trace its origin. However, as of press time, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, had not issued an official statement.
The tragic killing has ignited widespread condemnation online, with many Nigerians demanding justice and accountability. Civil rights groups in the southeast have also weighed in, calling for a complete audit of civilian firearm ownership and the immediate prosecution of individuals who recklessly fire guns during celebrations. “This is not just a death; it is the killing of trust in our system,” said one activist.
Calls are also mounting for state authorities to investigate private clinics and hospitals that delay emergency treatment over procedural hurdles. The Imo State Government has yet to release a formal response, but pressure is building. For the Eleweke family, the cries of baby Emmanuel will forever echo as a painful reminder of a system that failed to protect him.
