Emmanuel Chidiebere's father, Ephraim Onyeomereneche, has made a shocking allegation that his 20-year-old son, a Nigerian Army cadet, was poisoned before his tragic death at Hotel Royal Damgrete in Umuahia, Abia State.

Speaking to journalists after his burial on Saturday, he revealed that a toxic combination of poisoning and a severe head injury, sustained from hitting his head on the hotel pool wall, resulting in a skull fracture and brain bleeding, led to his son's untimely demise.

The young cadet officer died on April 9, 2024.

He further revealed that a publicly witnessed autopsy was performed on June 29, which provided crucial evidence and insight into the circumstances surrounding his son's death.

He said, "The cause of my son’s death was known and determined. Chidiebere was poisoned, and then hit at the back of the head in the pool that broke his skull. Blood entered his brain and he died."

In an emotional interview with ABN TV, the father of the late cadet officer, Mr. Onyeomereneche, expressed his desire for justice and accountability for his son's tragic death.

He urged that those responsible for his son's demise be held accountable and brought to justice.

However, he lamented that the Abia State Government and the State House of Assembly have not provided the necessary support and cooperation to ensure that the family receives the justice they deserve.

“Abia state should be responsible. But I ask for justice, the police, the roles they have been playing have not been the best. They should play better roles. We protested to the government house. We protested to the House of Assembly. We also protested at Hotel Royal Damgrete.

“The Abia State House of Assembly has abandoned the matter. The state pretended to see no evil, hear no evil, and are doing no good,” he said.

The grieving father also appealed to the management of Hotel Royal Damgrete to take immediate action to address the alarming frequency of guest deaths at the hotel.

He urged them to take necessary measures to prevent such tragic incidents from happening again in the future, saying, "Let the death of guests at Hotel Royal Damgrete come to an end. While Chidiebere's loss is irreversible, I implore the hotel to ensure that no other family suffers a similar tragedy.

“It looks like on average of every four months or thereabouts, one person dies in that hotel. Less than that? I don’t know. Whatever it’s doing that causes those deaths. Let it stop.

“I’ll ask God to fight for me. But for Chidiebere, let him not rest until justice is done. It’s only justice, nothing else. However, it will come, let justice be done.”

The emotional father expressed sadness that despite the four years his son spent in the defence academy, he was not alive to join his colleagues to mark the graduation ceremony.

“His mates graduated last month. On the day they were graduating, some of them were sending messages to me. Already, they have graduated. The personnel parade will be next year, but actually, I’ve been suffering for four years without a certificate. It’s not the best. It's painful," he lamented.

He added, "From the days of President Jonathan, the Boko Harams, nothing happened. We survived it; all the bullets. Only for him to be in the house and killed."

SaharaReporters reported in April how some soldiers killed one Mr. Achumugu James Etubi, a sectional manager at Damgrete Hotel, Umuahia following the death of the Chidiebere.

Despite the Nigerian Army's pledge to investigate the tragic incident, there has been no update or progress since then. The victim, Etubi, a native of Kogi State, was the head of the food and beverage department at the hotel located on Factory Road.

He was allegedly brutally tortured to death by soldiers on April 12, 2024, at the military barracks.

However, the Abia State Police Command had earlier reported that the NAF cadet officer died on April 9, 2024, in the hotel's swimming pool.

Following the incident, the Nigerian Army led by one Major Inuwa, who was reportedly investigating the unfortunate incident, allegedly ordered soldiers including one of the Cadet officers who came with the late Chidiebere to the hotel swimming pool to beat four hotel staff members who were invited for interrogation to stupor.

In the process, Etubi died, a reliable source who witnessed the incident told SaharaReporters.

According to the source, the situation that led to the tragedy started when a cadet officer from the Nigerian Air Force Tarmac Four came to the hotel to swim and have fun with his friends.

He, however, drowned while swimming.

“In the process of investigating the death of the cadet officer, four persons were taken by the Nigeria Police Force for investigations, Mr. James Etubi inclusive.

"They were detained for a night and were released on bail. But a few days later, the military officers led by one Maj. Inuwa particularly, was said to have invited four persons including Mr James Etubi for further investigations, and threatened the owner of the hotel Mr. Steve Ihendigbo, to release the workers to the army or have his hotel damaged,” the source had said.

"The owner of the hotel now went against the police's instructions to release them to the military just to save his hotel from attack.”

The source also said, "When Mr. Steve was contacted after the killing of the manager, he was scared to give full details for fear of the Nigerian military.

"The family, wife, and kids of the deceased are calling on Nigerians and relevant agencies to join voice and forces for justice in this inhuman treatment that led to the loss of life of Mr. Etubi."