Community of drowned NAF cadet officer protests in Umuahia

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

The Okwuta-Isieke community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, the home town of the Nigeria Defence Academy’s (NDA) NAF cadet who drowned in an Umuahia hotel swimming pool, has protested the death of their son in Umuahia, the state capital.

Natives of the community, who wore black attire, marched through the streets of Umuahia before ending up at the Government House, Umuahia.

In their speeches, Public Relations Officer of the community, Mr. Chibuzor Onwukamuche, head of family of the deceased cadet, Prince James Onyeomereneche, and the woman leader, Mrs. Happiness Ebere, said they came to register their grievances to Governor Alex Otti over the death of their son who, they said, would have been commissioned by July this year.

They said they did not believe their son, Emmanuel Onyeomereneche, with his training, could have drowned in an ordinary swimming pool. The people said they are suspecting foul play in the death of their son and described Onyeomereneche’s demise as a huge loss to the entire community. The protesters, all dressed in black attire with placards, chanted sorrowful songs as they marched round the city of Umuahia.

Addressing the protesters, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander Macdonald Uba (retd.), assured that investigations will be thoroughly carried out to unravel the cause of the death. Navy Commander Uba described the incident as unfortunate, adding that he would bring the matter to the governor’s attention, while sympathising 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 remain law abiding. He assured that whoever is found culpable will surely be brought to book.