Onyekwere Kaburu, father of slain 34-year-old Abia businessman, Obinna Kaburu, recounts his grief to SUNDAY NWAKANMA after losing both his son and daughter-in-law, Ifeyinwa, to gunmen.
How are you related to the late Obinna Kaburu?
I am his father. I raised him through university. I am over 80 years old, an Anglican, and originally from Ohokobe Ndume Ibeku in Umuahia North, Abia State. I worked as a carpenter and now sell building materials.
How old was he?
He was 34.
Tell us about him.
Obinna was born in Arondizuogu, where I lived decades ago. He was very bright. His first JAMB exam gave him a chance to study medicine, but due to challenges with securing admission, he later switched to engineering. He eventually studied building engineering at Federal Polytechnic, Nekede. After graduation, he gained practical skills in construction, especially using aluminum pans for parapets, which made him highly sought after. He later married Ifeyinwa Obo, also 34.
Did they have any past encounters with danger before this tragedy?
Yes. About three or four years ago, armed men stormed his shop and robbed traders. Luckily, he wasn’t around, but his wife was attacked and their business money stolen. I advised him to relocate, so he moved from Nkwo Umualum to Akunwata, where he built a new shop. There, he and his wife worked hard and their business thrived.
How did the attack that claimed their lives happen?
We were told gunmen stormed his shop around 8 p.m. while a customer was carrying out a PoS transaction. They shot him, his sales boy, and later his wife, who had rushed from home after he called her to help. Unaware of the danger, she walked in and was killed too. She was six months pregnant. Doctors operated on her after the shooting, but both she and the unborn child died. Their bodies were later brought to Umuahia for burial.
When did this happen?
On July 24.
Were the police aware?
They only came the following morning.
How did you feel when you heard the news?
I have been devastated. Losing both my son and his wife in one day has left me heartbroken. He was my second son.
How many children did Obinna leave behind?
Four—two boys and two girls. The eldest is eight years old and in Primary 1.
Did you sense this tragedy beforehand?
No, though I received strange early morning calls from family members and friends abroad on the day it happened. When I couldn’t reach Obinna or his wife by phone, I grew worried. My wife later heard the news from someone in the community, and that was how we confirmed the tragedy.
How did the Arondizuogu community react?
They have been coming to console us, though the community itself hasn’t taken any particular action.
Do you think this was an assassination or just armed robbery?
It appeared like a coordinated attack. A visitor told me the gunmen bypassed other shops to target my son’s. However, reports said they killed about 28 people in different areas that same day—14 in Ndi Ejezie, 11 in Nkwo Alumuna, and then my son, his wife, and others in Akunwata.
Have the police made progress with investigations?
I can’t say. We’ve been too deep in mourning to follow up.
What is your appeal to government authorities?
I plead with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Governor Alex Otti of Abia, and even the Ebonyi State governor—since my late daughter-in-law was from there—to assist in training the four young children Obinna left behind. At my age, and with my wife also old, we cannot raise them alone. I also appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the worsening insecurity in the South-East, especially in Arondizuogu.
How did your in-laws respond?
They stayed with us for five days after the incident, offering comfort and support, and they also attended the burial.
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