The Nigerian Military have been accused of torturing a manager in Hotel Royal Damgrete, Umuahia, Abia State, to death on Friday, 13th April 2024, after a cadet officer allegedly drowned while swimming with friends in the hotel.
Family sources disclosed that the late manager, Mr Achimugu James Etubi, resumed duty at the hotel barely a week ago before his life was cut short.
It was gathered that in the shocking turn of events, the Hotel Royal Damgrete manager died in the custody of the Nigerian Air Force Tarmac Four Umuahia after he was released from the Police custody.
Late Mr Achimugu James Etubi, from Kogi State, was said to had worked in the food and beverage department of the Hotel Royal Damgrete Umahia located on Factory Road, and was the manager of the department until he was brutally murdered.
Sources said the circumstances that led to his demise started few days ago when a cadet officer from the Nigerian Air Force Tarmac Four came into the Hotel Royal Damgrete Umuahia to swim and have some fun with his friends and got drowned in the process.
The late Nigerian Air Force Tarmac Four cadet was simply identified as Cadet Chidiebere.
The death of the cadet officer drew the attention of the Central Police Station, Umuahia, which immediately commenced investigation into the death of the cadet officer.
However, it was further gathered that four persons were taken into custody by Nigeria Police for investigations, including Mr. James Etubi.
Sources said that the suspects were detained for a night and were released on bail by the police while the investigation continued. But a few days later, the military was said to have invited the released (four) suspects for further investigations, allegedly threatening the owner of the hotel to release them or have his hotel destroyed.
The owner of the hotel, Mr. Steve Ihendigbo, was said to have taken the suspects to the Military formation out of fear to save his hotel from being attacked.
The hotel owner was said to have driven the suspects and handed them over to the military.
When Mr. Steve was contacted after the killing of the manager he was scared to give full details for fear of the Nigerian Military.
However, the family’s legal representative, Barr. Shuaibu Aruwa SAN, told The Street Reporters Newspaper that after the death of the manager in military custody, the military arranged and took the body of Mr Achimugu James Etubi and three others who were brutalised with various degrees of injuries to the hospital.
While the military deposited the deceased’s body in the morgue, the other three suspects were treated.
While the family, wife and kids of the deceased are calling on Nigerians and relevant agencies to join them in calling for justice for the dead, Barr Aruwa told our correspondent that a formal complaint will be forwarded to relevant authorities on Monday.
