Navy arrests 3 officers, woman, for ‘beating’ civilian staff to death, commences probe

The Nigerian Navy (NN) has confirmed the arrest of three commissioned officers and a civilian woman over their alleged involvement in the assault of a Microbiologist, Iheanyi  Onumegbu, 33, at the NN Reference Hospital (NNRH) in Ojo, Lagos.

Onumegbu, a civilian staff of the Ministry of Defence attached to the naval hospital, was allegedly beaten by four naval personnel at the instance of the yet-to-be-named civilian woman, said to have constantly bullied him each time he went to check on the dog he was looking after for an officer on posting outside Lagos.

The deceased, who would have clocked 34 years on May 22, was awarded the best junior civilian staff at the NNRH in 2019 and was loved by his bosses, and co-workers for being dutiful.

This is even as the Nigerian Navy says it has begun an investigation into how Onumaegbu, died.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, who announced this in Lagos yesterday, explained that Onumaegbu died at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital in Ojo, Lagos, where he worked.

He explained further that the deceased was a civilian staff of the Ministry of Defence attached to the Laboratory Department of the NNRH since 2009.

“The Navy is deeply saddened by the demise of Mr Ifeanyi Onumaegbu and the circumstances surrounding his death.

“On March 31, he was found lifeless in his office at NNRH.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that on March 26, the deceased was involved in an altercation with a civilian lady and some NN personnel in Navy Town Barracks,” he said.

Ogalla said that all suspected personnel and the civilian lady involved in the previous altercation had been identified and “are currently under close custody.”

He also said that NN had 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 NN further wishes to assure his family and the public that all necessary measures are being taken to unravel the cause of his death.

“Any person found culpable would be prosecuted according to extant laws,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Joint Executive Council of Ministry of Defence embarked on a peaceful mourning protest on April 8 against Onumaegbu’s death.

The protest was held across all the civilian personnel units of the Ministry of Defence.