Kinsmen protest death of cadet officer as Abia Govt. promises detailed investigation
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Pix shows a cross-section of the protesters
The dust raised by the mysterious death of a cadet officer in a popular hotel in Umuahia, Abia State capital, has yet to settle, as kinsmen of Emmanuel Onyeomereneche took to major streets of Umuahia to protest his heartbreaking demise.
The Cadet Officer who was only two months from his graduation from the Nigeria Defence Academy died in controversial circumstances at Royal Damgrate Hotel, Umuahia, where had gone with friends.
Following his death, the military stepped in, and in the course of their investigation, one of the hotel managers was allegedly tortured to death.
However, unable bear the trauma of losing their promising son, crest-fallen kinsmen of late Onyeomereneche from Okwuta-Ibeku in Umuahia North Local Governmet Area poured into the streets to register their grievances.
The black-attired, placard-clutching protesters who stormed Government House, Umuahia, told the government that they were embittered by the death of the cadet officer.
In their speeches, the Public Relations Officer of Okwuta-Isieke Autonomous Community, Mr. Chibuzor Onwukamuche, Head of the family, Prince James Onyeomereneche and the Woman Leader of the Community, 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. They therefore accused the friend, one Valentine Okpechi, and the hotel management of complacency. They regretted that the death of their son was a huge loss to the entire community.
Addressing the protesters, the State Government vowed to investigate the death of late Onyeomereneche, a Cadet Officer, who was found dead in the swimming pool of the Hotel Royal Damgrate.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander Macdonald Uba (Rtd.), who received the protesters on behalf of Governor Alex Otti, assured them that investigations would be thoroughly carried out to unravel the cause of the Cadet’s death, adding that whoever may be 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’s attention while sympathizing with the immediate family and entire people of Okwuta-Ibeku over the death.
The Special Adviser commended the protesters for not taking laws into their hands and urged them to continue to remain law-abiding, as 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,” Uba said.
