Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The air in Port Harcourt was thick with grief on Saturday, 4 July 2026, as family, friends, and sympathisers gathered to bid a painful final farewell to three young siblings whose lives were tragically cut short in a ghastly accident involving a learner driver. The three children — aged 10, four, and three — were laid to rest in a solemn burial ceremony that brought the Ogbunabali community to a standstill, as mourners struggled to come to terms with the devastating loss that has left their mother, Mrs Amarachi Promise Esomonu, utterly heartbroken. The funeral, which took place at the family's residence in the Ogbunabali area of Port Harcourt, was marked by wailing, prayers, and an outpouring of support from neighbours, church members, and well-wishers who had followed the tragic story since it first broke in May.
The accident that claimed the lives of the three siblings occurred on Friday, 15 May 2026, in the Ogbunabali axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. According to multiple accounts, a yet-to-be-identified man was teaching his girlfriend how to drive when the learner lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road along the Eastern Bypass and crashed into the Esomonu family's residential compound. The car rammed into the house where the children were gathered outside, killing all three on the spot. The victims, who were pupils in school before the tragic incident, were identified as the children of Mrs Amarachi Promise Esomonu. The mother, who had four children, lost three of them in a single, horrifying moment.
The burial ceremony was a deeply emotional affair. The mother, who had personally recovered the remains of her children from the wreckage with her bare hands, was seen sobbing uncontrollably as the three small caskets were lowered into the ground. In a viral video that had earlier circulated on social media, the distraught woman had tearfully appealed to Nigerians and human rights activists to intervene and ensure justice for her late children. "Every morning I wake up and remember them. My alarm rings, but there are no children left for me to dress for school. Their killers are moving freely and comfortably," she had said in an emotional statement that touched the hearts of millions. At the funeral, those words echoed as mourners consoled a mother whose joy had been turned into unbearable sorrow.
The Rivers State Police Command has expressed deep sadness over the tragic incident and has assured the family and the public that a thorough investigation has commenced. The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and assured that every necessary step would be taken to ensure that justice is served in accordance with the law. The police also confirmed that the driver, who fled the scene after the accident, would be arrested and prosecuted. However, the mother has alleged attempts by those involved to suppress the matter and shield the suspect from prosecution. "They are trying to sweep it under the carpet. My children will not just go like that," she had cried in her viral appeal.
The tragedy of the three siblings has sparked widespread outrage and grief across Nigeria. Many have described the incident as "unacceptable" and "devastating," urging the Rivers State Police Command to ensure a thorough investigation. The children's deaths have also reignited calls for stricter regulations on driving lessons and greater accountability for learner drivers. As the Esomonu family begins the painful journey of healing, the community of Ogbunabali stands with them in solidarity, praying that the souls of the innocent children find eternal peace and that their mother finds the strength to bear this irreparable loss. The three young lives, full of promise and dreams, have been laid to rest, but the cry for justice from a grieving mother continues to echo across the nation.
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