By Emma Nnadozie
Listening to the shaky voice of Mrs. Ngozi Isiwu-Obodo, wife of Inspector Obodo, 45, who was crushed to death by a police convoy, last Sunday, in Enugu, must draw tears from even the stone-hearted.
She was lamenting the sudden death of her husband, a doctorate degree holder serving as an Inspector of Police in Operations Department, Enugu State Police Command until his untimely demise in the most harrowing manner.
More saddening is the fact that he died in the hands of his colleagues, who were racing in a convoy whose destination and occupiers were yet to be disclosed.
In tears, she recounted: “That evening, my husband waved bye to our three children who are still in nursery school and beckoned on me to see him off to the bus stop. I quietly obeyed and followed him. As soon as we got to the bus stop, he insisted on buying snacks for his children. After that, I saw him up to where he boarded a bus to his workplace in a hotel at Independence Layout, Enugu. What transpired later in form of a parting message did not register anything in my mind until I heard about his death. He simply told me” Take very good care of yourself and our children,” and waved at me before stepping into the bus. I did not know that it was a parting word to us.
“We have three children, two boys and one girl. The first child is in nursery three, the second one nursery one, and the other one just concluded one year and hasn’t started schooling.
“We were all together last Sunday, after church, normal Sunday mass. He finished cutting the children’s hair and ironing their school uniforms for Monday. In the evening, after he finished eating, about a few minutes after 7a.m., he told me that he would be going. I escorted him outside, and we discussed the snacks we would buy for the children to take to school. He told me to stay well with the children that we will be speaking on the phone.
“He beckoned on me to see him off, and I followed him. Before he boarded the bus, we bought the snacks, and I saw him off till he was to step into the bus. Suddenly, he turned around and told me to take very good care of myself and our children, and I went back to our house.
“It was around few minutes to 9p.m., the very same night he left. A call came in with his number. I thought he was calling to tell me that he had arrived there, but it was another person that spoke. The person told me that the person who owns the phone was involved in an accident. I asked him where it happened, and he said it was at Bisala Road. I started begging them to please help me take him to a nearby hospital. I told them I would be coming, and they said I should come quickly and I should not come alone. I was already scared, and I began crying.
“I quickly called my brother because he has a car and can get there quicker. He said okay and that he would go. I wore my clothes and ran to the gate. My neighbour saw me crying and asked me and I explained. He brought his car and together we left for the accident scene. Before we got there, my brother was already there.
“There were some police officers there too. When I got out of the car, they told me to get back inside the car I came with. I told them that I want to see my husband. I didn’t know he has died already that time. They said that they were taking him to the hospital and I said okay, let’s go to the hospital.
“On arriving, they diverted, and I asked where we were going, they told me that I won’t go with them. Then I started crying that they should tell me what was happening, nobody was willing to tell me.
“My husband was a very peaceful person. He suffered so much to get that his doctorate degree while still serving in the force. It wasn’t easy. To go to school costs money. My husband’s salary is poor in the police. We were managing because when he was doing PHD, he started before I started my own masters. So, I was working at Mother of Christ Hospital as a Radiographer. He was also working.
“The burden of going to school and taking care of the children wasn’t easy. We were only managing. Just because we know we have made a decision to do that and get certificates .He was promoted to Inspector when he started the PhD programme. After getting PhD, he made an effort to be elevated, but the information he gave me was that Nigerian police do not recognise higher institution or additional qualifications for promotion. They have to run rank normally.
“But about the ending of last year or the beginning of this year, there was a circular from police that said all the PhD, holders should submit their credentials, which we did. But since then, there has not been anything.
“They have been sending him to hotels. He wasn’t with gun when he left me. He wasn’t carrying guns around. He doesn’t deserve this kind of death. Even on Saturday before this thing happened on Sunday, he went somewhere to make peace over family issues. Why will somebody kill my husband? His father and mother died while he was a toddler. He suffered a lot to take care of his siblings.
“Now, the whole sufferings have ended up in vain. Oh my God, where do I go with our children?”
Worse still, those who crushed and dragged his body are yet to be arrested. I appeal to police authorities to fish them out for my husband’s soul to rest. I know government installed camera everywhere, why is it difficult to identify and arrest them for not even stopping to help him but they ended up dragging his body to a few yards before escaping from the scene,” she stated, crying loudly.
