Naval officer, brother in Police net over alleged killing of airport worker

A Naval officer, Ifeanyi Chukwu, of the Nigerian Navy Command, Apapa, Lagos, is currently undergoing investigation over an assault that led to the death of a staff of Dowutas Trolley Service at the General Aviation Terminal 1, GAT, of the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport last Sunday.

Eye witnesses said the naval officer and his brother drove into the drop zone of the departure hall of the GAT at about 6a.m and parked his silver coloured SUV at the portion designated for dropping off passengers while they both escorted their mother, who was travelling out of Lagos into the terminal.

Vanguard reports that on return, they met the SUV tyres locked by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, concessionaire responsible for towing vehicles perceived to have been parked illegally or indiscriminately within the airport environment.

An eye witness said Chukwu and his brother were furious at the action, claiming the late trolley service provider; Mr. Yusuf Mohammed, had asked them to park the car in the drop zone.

It was learned that Yusuf advised both men not to leave the vehicle for more than a few minutes, otherwise it would be removed.

In the ensuing argument, Ifeanyi Chukwu’s brother was said to have punched Yusuf directly in the face and it was in the process of Yusuf falling that the naval officer himself (Ifeanyi Chukwu) cleared his feet off the floor and Yusuf fell with the back of his skull on paved floor and started bleeding profusely.

The enraged Chukwu, according to the witness, quickly rushed to raise the deceased’s head from the floor while blood gushed out of his head and shouted for help.

The deceased was taken to FAAN clinic, beside the terminal, to receive first aid treatment and referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, where he was pronounced dead at about 12 noon.

Another witness who pleaded anonymity said when the tensed officer noticed the turn of events, he informed his naval base in Apapa.

Chukwu’s brother was said to have been picked up by airport police command and the case transfered to the Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, while the car is currently parked at the police station at the local airport.

When reporters called Chukwu Ifeanyi yesterday, he acknowledged the incident took place and referred them to a female officer who is the Public Relation Officer of the command, who said the command was investigating the matter.

She also said the naval authorities was reaching out to the deceased family.