Navy investigates circumstances surrounding death of its civilian staff…holds 4 persons in custody

The Nigerian Navy has held three of its personnel and a civilian in close custody as it investigates the circumstances leading to the demise of one of its civilian staff, Mr Ifeanyi Richard Onumaegbu, who until his death worked at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Navy Town, Ojo Lagos. A statement on Thursday by the Nigerian Navy Spokesman, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said the Nigerian Navy (NN) was deeply saddened by the demise of Mr Ifeanyi Richard Onumaegbu and the circumstances surrounding his death.

The statement which identified the deceased as a long-serving staff of the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, explained that the authorities became aware that he had earlier been involved in an altercation with some persons, after the lifeless body was found in his office.

The statement reads in part that: “The NN wishes to inform the general public that the deceased was an integral part of the NN family as a civilian staff of the Ministry of Defence attached to the Laboratory Department of the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital (NNRH) Ojo, Lagos since 2009 and he served meritoriously.

“On 31 March 2024, he was found lifeless in his office at NNRH. A preliminary investigation revealed that 4 days earlier, on 26 March 2024, the deceased was involved in an altercation with a civilian lady and some NN personnel in Navy Town barracks.

“Consequently, all suspected personnel and the civilian lady involved in the previous altercation were identified and are currently under close custody. The NN has facilitated the movement of the deceased’s body to a reputable government hospital in Lagos based on the request of the family for an autopsy.”

The Navy assured the family of the deceased as well as the general public that “all necessary measures are being taken to unravel the cause of death and any person found culpable would be prosecuted according to extant laws.”