The Family of Late Mr Richard Iheanyi Onumegbu of Amaogwugwu village in Ihie Autonomous community in Isiala- Ngwa North LGA have cried out to the Lawmaker Representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives Hon Ginger O. Onwusibe to help in getting Justice for their brother who was brutally beaten to D£ath by Four Navy Soldiers in Lagos.
The incident occured at close 6, officers quarters Navy Barracks Ojo, Lagos on the 26th of March 2024. Late Mr. Richard Iheanyi Onumegbu (who was an MOD staff attached to the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital lab as a Q.A officer) was beaten and tortured by 4 Naval Officers . The complications of this torture and trauma is suspected to have led to his sudden death in his office on the 31st of March 2024.
Details of the officers who perpetrated this barbaric and inhuman treatment on Richard as well as the woman who instigated and invited them to carry out the dastard act as well as the video evidences of the torture are with the NNS WEY Regulating Officer where Richard personally reported the case.
It was gathered that the late Richard had gone to groom dogs for a very senior officer in a kennel behind one of the flats as he had passion for animals especially dogs at officers quarters on the 26th of March 2024, and a civilian lady who lives just close to where he takes care of the dogs there confronted and started bullying and name calling. It is important to note that she had been doing this for quite sometime according to the deceased. He demanded that the lady stop all that. Instead of stopping, she not only continued but threatened to slap him if he tried her. These led to exchange of words with the lady making her threat real by slapping Richard. He blocked her hands from further attempts to attack him and demanded apology from her. She apologized and he let go of her hands.
Immediately he let go and was walking away, she immediately called the officers who are suspected to be her friends and instigated them to beat him up on her behalf. These officers, without questioning or hearing Richard’s side of story started punching, flogging, hitting his head and stripped him off his clothes leaving him with only boxers.
They collected his phones and ID card and said he couldn’t have that position as a Q.A officer and accused him of possesing a fake ID. All efforts to convince them otherwise proved abortive.
They used their fists, sticks, legs, wires, stones and any available object they could find around on him and kept flogging with wires even on his privates and scrotum. They made videos of him while he was stripped naked in the presence of the lady and some neighbors who watched without challenging them. He took several blows and hits to the head and ribs which was very evident and could be obviously seen on the pictures. He was made to seat on his head upside down because the gallops on his head were evident. He was tied up like a thief, blood could not flow naturally through the body for several hours. This torture started around 8:pm of Tuesday in the evening and lasted till 2:am in the morning of the next day before they finally let him go. He couldn’t move properly because he was in severe pains from suspected fractures and managed to go to the hospital where he works as he couldnt he couldn’t make it home that night.
He reported at the Nigerian Navy Hospital Regulating Office where he wrote his statement and the case was later taken to NNS WEY Regulating office in the barracks where he was too weak to even write another statement but an audio recording was made in the place of a written statement.
The family is calling on all spirited Nigerians to help them in getting Justice for their Son.
