Members of Okwuta-Ibeku community in Umuahia North local government area of Abia State have called on the state government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the son, an Air Force Cadet.
The National Defence Academy student was last week Tuesday found dead in the swimming pool of the Damgrete hotel, a death the people of the community say is suspicious.
The protesters comprising youths, men and women marched through major streets before converging at the entrance gate to Government House Umuahia, urging Gov. Alex Otti, to wade.
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They demanded an immediate and thorough investigation to unravel what actually happened to their son, saying they were not convinced by the various versions of how he allegedly died.
Women of the community, adorned in back attires during a peaceful protest to Government House Umuahia on Tuesday had carried placards with different inscriptions.
Some of the inscriptions read, “So Damgrete (sic) is another otokoto in Abia”, “Obeji Valentine is this the meaning of a friend” and other inscriptions.
Members of the community said they do not believe that Mr. Emmanuel Onyeomereneche with his training as an upcoming Air Force officer could have drowned in an ordinary swimming pool and accused the friend, one Valentine Okpechi, and the hotel management of complacency.
They described the death of their son is a huge loss to the entire community.
In their speeches earlier, the Public Relations Officer of Okwuta -Isieke Autonomous Community, Mr. Chibuzor Onwukamuche, head of the family, Prince James Onyeomereneche, and the woman leader, Mrs. Happiness Ebere said that they came to register their grievances to the Governor over the death of their son.
Receiving the protesters, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander Macdonald Uba (Rtd.) assured them that investigations would be thoroughly carried out to unravel the cause of the death.
He said, whoever that was found culpable would surely be brought to book.
The Special Adviser commended the protesters for not taking laws into their hands. He urged them to remain law-abiding, assuring that the outcome of the investigation would be made known to them.
“Unfortunately, a cadet officer of the Nigeria Defence Academy was found dead in a swimming pool in Damgrate. We know how much it takes the federal government to train one cadet officer”.
Recall that the owner of the hotel, Dr Steve Ihedigbo, had on Saturday, also demanded justice for the deceased and his Food and Beverage Manager, James Etubi, who was allegedly tortured to death by soldiers at Army base in Umuahia.
The Army was said to have invited the late Etubi and other staff of the hotel for interrogation over the death of the Air Force cadet, and afterwards, allegedly subjected them to torture, leading to the death of the 48-year-old who was recruited barely a week to his tragic death.
Ihedigbo had claimed that there was nothing to suggest that the late cadet was drowned in a pool as his tummy was very flat when he was eventually brought out of the pool.
Calling for a thorough investigation of the colleague of the late cadet who came with him to the hotel , Ihedigbo promised to sponsor the autopsy test to find out the actual cause of the death.
Meanwhile, the Army Authorities had since condemned the unprofessional conduct of the soldiers who allegedly tortured the hotel staff to death.
Army Spokesman, Major Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, said the Chief of Army Staff, had ordered immediate investigation into the matter.
