The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), has said it wants to be part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Rear Admiral Teikumore Ikoli, the Fleet Commander, Western Naval Command saying it is ready and willingness to assist the Nigerian Navy.
Rear Admiral Ikoli was on April 5 found dead in his Lagos home on April 5, 2017 with initial report attributing the cause of his death to suicide.
He was Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Apapa before being appointed into the Presidential Committee on the probe of arms deal.
Upon his promotion as Rear Admiral, he was appointed Fleet Commander, Western Naval Command.
Eric Omare, the IYC’s President, in a statement issued in Yenagoa, said the circumstances of Ikoli’s demise from gunshot in a locked room at his Lagos residence, required thorough and transparent investigation.
“The Ijaw ethnic nationality demands to be part and parcel of the investigation in order to unravel the real cause of the death and those behind it.
“We, therefore, call on the military authorities to include a representative of the Ijaw ethnic nationality as part of the investigative team to ensure transparency in the process,’’ Omare said.
Recall that authorities of the Western Naval Command led by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai have instituted a board of investigation (BOI) to unravel the remote and immediate cause of his death.
The institution of the BOI took place last week just as security sources disclosed forensic investigation showed there were some other footsteps other than that of Rear Admiral Ikoli inside his room when he died.
Investigation is however on to unravel the timing of the footsteps, whether it was before or during the time he died, when the Naval Guards heard the gunshots and ran to the house to meet his room locked.
Three Naval Ratings who were on guard duties at the residence of late Ikoli, have been placed under house arrest for questioning over the death of the senior officer.
Recall that information currently making the rounds, have it that the Fleet Commander shot himself with his service pistol after locking himself in the room from inside.
The institution of the board of inquiry by the FOC, which is a standard military procedure, according to sources would not conflict with the independent Police investigation being carried into the cause of Ikoli’s death.
Asked what he felt about insinuations that the officer who was a member of the Presidential Arms Panel and was recently promoted Rear Admiral through the special recommendation by President Muhammadu Buhari, may have committed suicide by shooting himself on the heard thrice, a security source said investigators should be allowed to do their professional job.
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