From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Fresh revelations have emerged in the case of Dr Chukwuemeka Agbo, a Nigerian medical doctor who died under controversial circumstances in Jordan earlier in 2024.
At the official inquest, which commenced on December 10, 2024, leading Nigerian pathologists disclosed evidence pointing to brutal assault as the cause of death.
The autopsy, conducted in Nigeria following United Nations protocols, revealed that Dr Agbo’s skull was shattered by a powerful blow, with fragments penetrating deep into his brain.
During the initial hearing, leading pathologists who performed the autopsy in Nigeria, following stringent United Nations protocols and guidelines, asserted that Agbo was brutally assaulted and killed.
The family of the deceased, in a press release, said, “Shocking revelations came to light indicating that the autopsy conducted in Jordan failed to include critical details. Specifically, it was discovered that Dr Agbo’s skull was shattered by a powerful blow, causing fragments to penetrate deep into his brain.
“Twenty-eight (28) pieces of his skull bones had been packed into a polythene bag and sewn back into his skull. This information was not included in the report of the autopsy done in Jordan, which the family received. The application of blunt force trauma to the skull was what shattered the skull (as was also noted in the autopsy carried out in Jordan).”
The family noted that pathologists dismissed claims that Dr Agbo’s death was caused by a fall from a height, explaining that a fall would have caused multiple fractures to his neck, chest, arms, and spinal vertebrae—injuries that were absent.
“The pathologists stated that the findings from the autopsy and the full-body X-ray clearly demonstrate that Dr Agbo’s death was not due to a fall from a height, as the family had been informed in June 2024.
“If it had been so, his cervical and thoracic bones would not have been intact in view of the massive skull damage. In other words, a fall from a height would have caused multiple fractures to the neck, chest, arms, and spinal vertebrae, not just isolated skull damage of this nature.”
“The evidence provided by the pathologists at the inquest regarding the brutal execution/murder of Dr Chukwuemeka Agbo was so traumatic to those who were in court that the family members have chosen to provide just a brief insight.
“The revelations have left the family and supporters devastated, with the details too traumatic for many to process. They have chosen to share only a brief insight into the findings,” the statement said.
They called on the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Agbo’s employer, to participate in future proceedings to clarify the circumstances surrounding Dr Agbo’s death, having failed to honour a previous invitation.
They urged the public to sign a petition aimed at bringing the case to international tribunals and parliamentary bodies, believing that widespread support will help ensure accountability and justice for the slain doctor.