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, Richard 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.
One of his siblings who spoke to The Nation on the telephone said that her brother told them he was assaulted from 8 pm on Tuesday, March 26, to about 1 am on Wednesday, March 27.
She said the family became worried when he didn’t return home after work on Tuesday, adding that they kept calling his number but he wasn’t responding.
“We live in an estate within Satellite Town and not far from the barracks. So, you can understand how worried we were when he didn’t come home on Tuesday and that’s very unlike him. We kept calling but no response.
“By the time he was home on Wednesday, I had gone to work. It was when I came back from work that I saw my brother and all the injuries on him. My brother isn’t the type to cry but he was crying and in pain.
“He said they beat him up from 8 pm on Tuesday to about 1 am on Wednesday. He said four of the officers stripped him of his clothes and beat him that he was forming a tough guy and not crying.
“He said they made him kneel and put his face to the ground while beating him. That it was four of them that assaulted him despite showing them his ID card and that they made video recordings of it.
“He said those who did it were neighbours with the civilian woman. My brother likes dogs and takes care of them as a side hustle.
“What usually takes him to this particular residence where he was beaten is the dog one officer gave him to look after since the officer was on posting outside Lagos. He said each time he went there, that woman would harass and bully him and that she called him Dog Boy.
“That day, he decided to stand up for himself against the constant bully and the lady went to instigate those officers who didn’t even hear his side of the story and started beating him. He said he showed them his ID card but they said it was fake and that it was the fifth officer who didn’t assault him who rechecked the ID and told them it was not possible to be fake.
“He said after the whole incident, they forced him to wear his clothes back and that when he got to the hospital, he reported at the investigation desk and also told his boss, the Commander of the hospital who asked him to go and officially report at NNS WEY which he did.
“He said after his report, a Hilux was assigned to him with personnel to go to the residence and that all the suspects were taken to the station and their phones collected. The Navy saw the videos they made of the incident and the Navy has it.
“My brother said the culprits also wrote statements at NNS WEY and that he went back to his workplace which is the hospital where he started getting treatment.
“I don’t know if an X-ray was conducted. But I know he mentioned getting one. The Nigerian Navy has all the information on this matter.
“We reported to the police after he died. We had to file an official complaint because we want justice for my brother,” said the sibling.
He was said to have continued going to work despite his state and was eventually found lifeless at his office on March 31.
The Nation learnt that naval authorities from the barracks went to Agboju Police Station to report a case of sudden death since the deceased was a civilian. His family, it was gathered, also made an official entry with the police after he died.
Based on the complaints filed, it was learnt that the police wrote the navy and requested the suspects to be handed over for investigation, a request that was yet to be complied with.
“As I speak with you, no suspect has been handed over to the police. An official letter of request has been sent to the NN but there has been no compliance yet. The deceased’s body was moved to a government facility for autopsy. He reported to the Naval Police in the barracks the day he was assaulted and identified those responsible.
“He also told his family about it,” said a source who refused to be named.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the Director of Naval Information (DINFO), Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu in a statement on Thursday morning, noted that the deceased had worked at the NNHR since 2009 and was an integral part of the navy family.
The DINFO confirmed that Onumegbu served meritoriously until his body was discovered on March 31 in his office.
He said a Lieutenant, two Sub- Lieutenants, and the woman at the centre of the unfortunate incident were already in custody, assuring that justice would be served in the case.
Adams-Aliu said: “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 NN further wishes to assure his family and 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.”
