Double Murder: Family Tasks Delta Govt, Security Agencies On Justice Over Slain Mother and Son

By THESTORYNG & ASABA METRO

The children of late Mrs. Lawretta Gwam have called on the Delta state government and security agencies to intensify manhunt geared towards the apprehension of gunmen who killed their mother and their eldest brother, late Pastor Alfred Nnamdi Gwam.

While the family is still in shock and dismay over the death of their beloved mother and brother, another family member, Kelvin Ngozi Gwam, is still battling for survival from bullet wounds on his chest region.

Speaking in Asaba, on Monday, December 21, 2020, on behalf of the family, Chiedu Gwam, Esq., who was full with emotion laden voice over the demise of the duo, constantly called for “Justice”.

Chiedu, disclosed that the unfortunate incident occurred on 15th December 2020, when he was called upon that some armed men invaded their compound in Asaba, while they were praying in the sitting room and opened fire on them, killing their mother and eldest brother on the spot.

Hear him: “The story I am about to tell is shocking to me. It happened on the 15th of December in the early hours of the night at about 2:00am, I was called on the phone and informed that some armed men entered into my family compound in Asaba. In the home that night, my mother was there, my eldest brother was there.

“My two elder brothers were there with their children and wives and my sister. They were in the house and they were praying. While they were praying armed men came and opened fire on the innocent people who were at home praying. In the process my mother was shot dead and my eldest brother was also shot dead. My immediate elder brother was also shot.

L-R: Mr Chiedu Gwam Esq. and Kelvin Gwam (Gunshot Survivor)

“The children in the house, all infants witnessed all the shooting. The wives were there, there was nobody there to help. After the incident, my immediate elder brother was able to manage to rush them to the hospital. He sustained bullet injury as well and only for them to arrive at the hospital, they were told that my mom and my eldest brother could not make it”.

He disclosed that the immediate elder brother is receiving treatment at the hospital, pointing out that the house where the unfortunate incident occurred has been deserted while the hoodlums are yet to be arrested.

“The trauma the family and children are going through at the moment is unbearable. I can only imagine what they are going through at this time and that is why I call on the government and all well-meaning Nigerians to call for the full scale investigation of this matter to bring these men who have done this evil to me and my family to book.

“I sincerely want to call upon His Excellency, the Executive Governor and the Chief Security Officer of Delta state to step into this matter, that these men who have done this be brought to justice. My mother as of today lies in the mortuary with my eldest brother while my immediate elder brother is still battling for his life. We don’t know what has led to this but our only demands is that justice be done.

He equally called on the government to make provisions for security for the rest members of the family as they live in the fear of the assailants whom he said their mission was still unknown, reiterating that the state government and all well-meaning Nigerians should step in to see that justice was done.

On whether there was any threat or issue by members of the family with others before the incident, Chiedu said: “the stories are shocking to me. My mother served this state as a teacher for 35 years and she retired after her service this year sometimes in February as a principal. Her last appointment was to be on a Board to review the educational system which she served with all her strength.

Late Mrs Lawretta Gwam Apartment

He described the deceased as people who lived a life of service to the people, noting that the neighborhood could attest to the humble and Christian lives they live, “I don’t know of any threat but one thing I know is that justice must be done in this case” just as he disclosed that their late mom fought to protect the interest of her children.

He described their deaths as “heartbreaking, shocking, is still to me as if I am dreaming. I never saw it coming in any way but I know that justice will be done. My mom is the best in the world, she has always sacrifice her life to see that her children were trained. I am proud of her to say today that of all her children, she did her best to give us the best of education.

“My mom has five sons, all graduates and a daughter who also an undergraduate at the moment. She stood alone to see that her children gained good education, she was the best”, describing the late eldest brother as a “father” to all of them.

He revealed that the Mr. Gwam, whom he knew as a biological father, deserted the home 15 years ago while the mother became everything to them, “whoever has done this thing, the judgment of God and justice will catch-up with them”, he prayed.

On how the assassins gained access into the house, he said while his family were praying, the murderers tore the nets, shot at his family members who were gathered together praying while the mother and eldest brother who stood to shield the rest became the victim of the gruesome murder, “justice must be done”, he repeated.

While noting that the police are doing their best, he called on the state governor to step into the matter for a full scale investigation to unmasked the killers for justice to be done, “as it is today, the family is still in shock, the trauma is real, the home has been deserted, nowhere to stay, everybody is just scattered and only God can say what will become of the family if justice is not done.

“The only home the family knows is the scene of the crime and we now call on the government to step into the situation to even provide shelter for these little children of this home, that is our appeal to our dear governor.

Also speaking, Mr. Kelvin Ngozi Gwam, who survived the dastardly attack on his sick bed narrated their ordeal in the hands of the hooligans.

He said: “In the night, as at 1:30am, I heard my elder brother praying and I woke up and I walked up to him and I was like, what is it? He was praying with a loud voice then he told me that some armed men are around the vicinity.

“So, I noticed some movements around the window to our mom’s room. So, we left the room and came towards the passage, after sometime we didn’t hear anything again, so we believed they have gone.

“Only for us to come to the sitting room to pray like we normally do, then all of a sudden we noticed a movement somebody trying to gain access through the window without demanding for money or for us to open the door, without demanding for anything, the vehicle was outside only for the person to gain access through the window and opened fire on us.

“It was a very terrible sight to behold. The guys shot at us, we ran back to the centre passage of the house where they can’t see us, at that moment my elder brother fell on his knees, my mom too was struggling to breathe. After sometime both of them went silent that was what happened on that 15th day of December 2020.

“I was trying to assist them not knowing that I have also been shot on my chest region”, he explained.