Family cries out over soldiers’ arrest and killing of nurse, 35
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A family has cried out over alleged arrest of a nurse by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue who allegedly tortured him to death in Ugbokpo, Apa Council after he was grabbed from his house on April 5.
Relatives said Ernest Owoicho, 35, was confirmed dead less than 24 hours after he was taken away by the soldiers to Elu Lodge, a temporary base for Operation Whirl Stroke in the area.
Nelson, the deceased’s younger brother, told journalists that he received a distress call from him at 1.54pm on the day of his arrest.
He said Ernest informed him that soldiers stormed his house and were beating him. The call lasted 37 seconds. A follow-up call made two minutes later revealed that the soldiers were taking Ernest away without giving any reason for the arrest.
That was the last time the family heard from him, according to reporting by Daily Post.
Nelson recounted that the family later received reports that Ernest had been taken to Elu Lodge, where the father of two was subjected to hours of torture.
Efforts to secure his release through the Apa Council Chairman Adams Ochega and other local officials were not successful.
“By 5pm on Saturday, we got information that he had collapsed in military detention and was rushed to a hospital. We sent people to all the hospitals in Ugbokpo but no one found him,” Nelson recounted.
“Later that evening, the family received information that a body had been deposited at Apa General Hospital morgue. However, the name registered was ‘Victor Otache,’ not Ernest Owoicho.
“We relaxed for a bit, thinking maybe it wasn’t him. But the next day, calls started coming in – people told us that Ernest had died in military custody.”
The family proceeded to Elu Lodge to inquire about his whereabouts but were met with vague responses and told to return at noon.
As word of the incident spread, tension escalated in Ugbokpo, leading to protests by youths who blocked major roads.
During this period, the body tagged as ‘Victor Otache’ was re-examined and identified by the family as Ernest Owoicho.
Nelson said: “When we saw the corpse, his body was badly beaten – from head to toe. It was clear he had been brutalised. Information we got later suggested he died within 45 minutes of his arrest.”
The family has continued to demand answers from the military, questioning what alleged crime led to Ernest’s arrest and subsequent death.
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