Tears Of A Bereaved Mother: Justice For Mbah Onyekachi – A Call To The Cross-River State Government

 Tears Of A Bereaved Mother: Justice For Mbah Onyekachi – A Call To The Cross-River State Government In the early hours of August 1st, 2025,...

 Tears Of A Bereaved Mother: Justice For Mbah Onyekachi – A Call To The Cross-River State Government

In the early hours of August 1st, 2025, a tragedy unfolded in Calabar, the serene capital city of Cross-River State, one that continues to leave a family shattered, a mother inconsolable, and our conscience deeply troubled. Mrs. Mbah Victoria, a resident of Calabar for over 15 years and originally from Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, lost her 22-year-old son, Mbah Onyekachi, under deeply questionable and brutal circumstances ; circumstances tied directly to the security personnel of the Cross-River State Governor.

This story is not just about a young life cut short; it is a wake-up call to the conscience of the public. It is a plea for justice in the face of state-sanctioned violence and a reminder that power must never be above accountability.

Onyekachi was not a troublemaker. By every account gotten through neighbors, friends, and family, he was a bright, promising, God-fearing young man with a passion for the well-being of his host community. But on the morning of August 1st, he left home by 11 a.m., carrying with him a message he claimed was divinely inspired, a message of hope and development for the state of Cross-River. Arriving at the governor’s residence, Onyekachi respectfully requested to see the governor or at least someone close to him to deliver his message. The security personnel on duty denied him entry, citing the lack of an invitation. Disappointed but undeterred, the young man returned shortly after, pleading once more to be heard. This time, instead of a listening ear, he was met with hostility.

Reports confirm that when asked about his origins, Onyekachi stated he was Igbo. That singular fact seemed to have sealed his fate. According to eyewitnesses, the security men descended on him with extreme force; beating him mercilessly and eventually shooting him. He was left bleeding on the ground until members of the Red Cross NGO, stationed in Calabar, intervened and rushed him to a nearby hospital.

For days, Onyekachi fought for his life under the watchful eyes of state security agents who, for reasons unknown, stationed themselves in shifts to monitor him. This was not the action of a government seeking justice; it was the chilling behavior of those who feared the truth might come out.

Eventually, the young man succumbed to his injuries. His body was deposited in the mortuary, where yet another disturbing event occurred — the Cross-River State Commissioner of Police arrived at the mortuary unannounced to view the corpse, with no prior notification given to the family. It was the mortuary attendants who courageously declined and informed the grieving parents of what had happened.

When summoned by the commissioner, the parents refused to go. Their stance was simple: they were supposed to be receiving condolence visits, not being treated like suspects.

So, instead of compassion, the Mbah have since been met with threats — subtle and overt — from Cross-River State security agents and other government sources, creating an atmosphere of fear for a family already plunged into grief.

Some Civil rights organizations, human rights groups, and other bodies initially promised to investigate and bring those responsible to justice. But as the days have turned into weeks, there has been nothing but silence; a silence many now believe is the result of threats and intimidation. This has compounded the pain of the family and raised disturbing questions about how safe ordinary citizens truly are when the very institutions meant to protect them become the instruments of their oppression.

The death of Mbah Onyekachi is not just a tragedy for one family, it is a test for Cross-River State and Nigeria as a whole.

We call on the Governor of Cross-River State to break his silence and address this case publicly. A government that cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens, or worse, whose agents are implicated in their death, has failed its most basic duty.

We demand:

1. A Transparent Investigation: An independent panel must be set up, free from political interference, to investigate the events leading to Onyekachi’s death.

2. Prosecution of the Perpetrators: Every security personnel involved in the beating and shooting of this young man must face justice.

3. Protection for the Family: Mrs. Victoria and her family must be guaranteed safety from threats and intimidation.

4. Public Apology and Compensation: The government must take responsibility, offer a public apology, and compensate the family for their irreparable loss.

If the killing of a young man seeking to deliver a message of hope is allowed to be swept under the carpet, then every citizen is at risk. Today, it is Onyekachi; tomorrow, it could be any of us.

Justice delayed is justice denied, but justice buried is an invitation to anarchy. We call on well-meaning Nigerians, civil society groups, religious leaders, and the international community to stand with the Mbah family in their quest for justice.

The tears of a bereaved mother must not be ignored. Her son’s blood cries from the ground where it dripped. The universe is watching; and history will not be kind to those who turn a blind eye to injustice.

Family Writers Press International