Jonathan Odikanwa, a 70-year-old indigene of Ikeduru Local Government Area, Imo State, has been left devastated by the death of his 19-year-old son, Paul, who was allegedly shot while trying to retrieve a ball from a landlord’s compound near his school in Owerri.
Speaking with Sunday Punch, Odikanwa described the incident as “animalistic” and recounted how he received the heartbreaking news from teachers and students at Urban Development Secondary School, where Paul was a JSS 1 student.
“They told me that my son had a problem. When I asked them what kind of problem it was, they were hesitant, but I insisted they tell me exactly what happened,” he recalled.
Paul had been playing football with his schoolmates when the ball landed in a neighbor’s compound. With the help of his friends, he climbed the fence to retrieve it but was allegedly shot by the landlord.
“In the process, they heard a gunshot, and my son fell from the fence. The other students rushed to where he had fallen. It was then that they noticed he had a bullet wound, and there was blood all over his body.
“They immediately rushed him to the hospital, and the matter was reported to the school management,” Odikanwa said.
After learning of the shooting, he hurried to the hospital before heading to the police station, where he confronted the landlord.
“The police organised a meeting between me and the man. The purpose of the meeting was for him to narrate exactly what happened. He tried to deny it, but it was clear that he shot the boy because the students who were there also gave statements at the police station, confirming that he shot the gun.
“Moreover, after shooting the boy, he fired more gunshots sporadically into the air, which indicated that it was deliberate. That was what I was told,” he added.
The landlord denied shooting Paul, claiming he had only tried to scare him by making noise with a polythene bag. However, Odikanwa dismissed the claim.
“The man also said that while my son fell, a stick on the ground caused an injury to him. But that was a lie because the position of the wound on my son’s buttocks showed that something had pierced through from one side to the other,” he stated.
Odikanwa praised the school authorities and the police for their efforts to save his son’s life.
“One of the teachers even called her husband, and he rushed down to intervene,” he said.
Despite multiple scans, X-rays, and an emergency surgery to address a cut in Paul’s intestine, doctors were unable to save him.
“I can’t imagine anyone, especially someone who is about 65 years old, acting in such a way. I feel pained that my son was shot just for going to retrieve a ball from a man’s compound,” the grieving father lamented.
When asked if he believed the bullet caused his son’s internal injuries, Odikanwa acknowledged other possible factors.
“I am not a medical expert, but given the height of the wall, if someone falls from it, it could damage their spinal cord or bones. The impact could cause internal injuries. Also, my son lost a lot of blood.”
The case has since been taken over by the police, with the Imo State government also getting involved.
“It is now a police matter, and the government is involved. The school authorities and the State Education Management Board are handling it, and even the Imo State Commissioner for Health has contacted me.
“They assured me that they were looking into my son’s case. After he was pronounced dead, I informed the Commissioner for Health about the development. I believe that since it is a police matter, an autopsy will be carried out,” he said.
On the whereabouts of the landlord, Odikanwa revealed that the case had been transferred to the Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department.
“I can’t say for certain if he has been released; I am not involved in those details,” he noted.
Describing his late son, he said, “He was a very good boy. He was intelligent, respectful, and loved football. Even at his young age, he had football boots and was passionate about the game.”
According to his father Paul had aspirations of furthering his education and possibly learning a trade after completing school.
Odikanwa, who had been raising Paul alone following the death of his wife, acknowledged the support of the landlord’s sister.
“To be honest, the man’s sister has been contributing to my son’s medical expenses. She has shown a lot of concern,” he said.
However, he did not disclose whether he intended to pursue the matter in court.
