No Going Back On Investigation Of Cadet Officer’s Death In Hotel Pool, Abia Govt Vows

Abia State Government has vowed to investigate the death of Emmanuel Onyeomereneche, an Abia-born Cadet Officer, who was found dead in the swimming pool of the Hotel Royal Damgrete, Umuahia recently.

Addressing the people of Okwuta-Ibeku in Umuahia North LGA who came to protest the death of the deceased who is their son, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander Macdonald Uba (Rtd.) assured 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.

Navy Commander Uba, who described the incident as unfortunate said he would bring the matter to the Governor while sympathizing with the immediate family and entire people of Okwuta -Ibeku over the death.

ABN TV had reported that an Air Force Cadet, Mr. Emmanuel Onyeomereneche had lost his life under controversial circumstances in the hotel. In response, his colleagues in the military launched an investigation, arresting the F&B manager of the hotel and others. In the course of investigation, he was tortured to death by the military.

READ ALSO: Army Vows To Investigate Killing Of Hotel Manager In Abia By Its Officials

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.

“It is unfortunate that 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.

“We have listened to your complaints and we will take measures to brief His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State on the matter. Whatever has happened has happened. We leave it to God but proper investigation will be carried out to ensure that if there were perpetrators of this act, it will be unraveled.

“This incident has caused other ripple effects thereafter. We will thoroughly investigate the matter, at the end of the day justice will be served. I know how you feel. I was once a cadet, and I know how it would have been for my village if something like this happened.

“I enjoin you to remain law abiding until we revert the outcome of the investigations, including the death of the manager of the hotel. We will investigate all these things and get back to you.”

In their speeches earlier, the Public Relations Officer of Okwuta-Isieke Autonomous Community, Mr. Chibuzor Onwukamuche, the 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, who would have been commissioned by July this year.

They said that they do not believe that Mr. Emmanuel Onyeomereneche with his training as an upcoming naval officer could have drowned in an ordinary swimming pool and accused the friend, one Valentine Okpechi, and the hotel management of complacency. They regretted that the death of their son is a huge loss to the entire community.

The protesters, dressed in all-black attire with placards, chanted sorrowful songs round the city of Umuahia.

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 afterward, 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.