Overwhelmed with emotions, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday rained curses on the perpetrators of the October 1 bombings which claimed 12 lives, saying those behind it “will never find peace”.

He spoke after listening to Donatus Aruah, an indigene of Obukpa in Enugu State whose two children, a nephew and driver were killed in the blasts.

Narrating the tragedy, Aruah identified his deceased wards as John Chidera Aruah (12-year-old son), Paul Onyekachi Aruah (7-year-old son), Ozioko Ambrose Onyema (nephew) and Alfred Onah (his driver).

The four left their house at the Berger yard on the way to Papeh district of Abuja around 11am for the Eagle Square, venue of the independence anniversary fanfare.

According to him, because of the security arrangements around the Three Arms Zone, his children had to park far away from Eagle Square and walk to the venue.

“Indeed, the driver had parked and the children were holding one another in a string and walking happily towards the place when suddenly a fire erupted around and everybody was consumed. They did not know where the fire came from. And that was how I lost my children. I have five children, my two sons are gone and I’m left with my three daughters.

I brought up my nephew this year to come and stay with me here in Abuja and see now, I am going to return to my sister a corpse (sobbing).

“When I was told of the incident, I ran to National Hospital where I was told many of the victims were taken. We searched everywhere but we did not see any of them. When we got to the mortuary, I looked at the bodies and I did not see them from the heap until I went round the whole place and I could only recognize my seven-year-old son through the religious medal he was wearing. My 12-year-old son… I was able to recognise him through the remains of his Chelsea football club T-shirt he was wearing. I have come to Abuja and I’m going back empty handed,” he said.

Ekweremadu led Enugu Federal Legislators' Forum on a condolence visit to the Abuja home of Aruah who is on the staff of Julius Berger Construction company.

According to the Deputy Senate President, “even if the perpetrators are not found by men, they will certainly be discovered by God and punished. Enugu has had more than its fair share of this disaster. Five out of the lot. This is two much.”
He called on the government and the security institutions to rise up to the occasion by tracking down the brains behind it and prosecute them.

Condoling the father of the children, Ekweremadu urged him to “take heart and rely on God who knows all things,” saying “these children did not die in vain. It was a glorious period for our nation but the enemies of our nation have done their worst”.

Surrounded by his relatives and members of Obukpa Youth Association in Abuja, Aruah thanked the legislators for the visit.
Among those on Ekweremadu’s team were Senate Committee Chairman on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze, and House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Marine Transport, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.